Through Worse
by DJ Moves
Summary: Jounochi and Kaiba have been married for several years, through better and...through worse. Don’t mind the cheesiest of the title/summery. BTW, I’m already planning a sequel if you don’t/do like the ending. Complete
1. Default Chapter

Title: Through Worse  
  
Author: DJ  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I'm poor, so I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, it'd have to be on HBO or Showtime. ^_~  
  
Summery: Jounochi and Kaiba have been married for several years, through better and...through worse. Don't mind the cheesiest of the title/summery. BTW, I'm already planning a sequel if you don't/do like the ending.  
  
Jounochi set down his keys on the kitchen counter and looked around uneasily. "Seto?" he called out.  
  
Only silence met him.  
  
He sighed and walked over to the freezer, pulling out a vodka bottle. "Figures," he murmured.  
  
After pouring himself a glass of orange juice and vodka, he made his way quietly to one of the sitting rooms, that happened to be outside the bedroom he and Kaiba shared. He kicked at the coffee table absently mindedly, hearing the sounds coming out of the room.  
  
The door opened up suddenly, and Kaiba rushed a young, scantily-clad women out of the hallway. "You know your way out," he muttered.  
  
Jounochi took a sip of his drink. "You're home early," he muttered, a hint of a joke in his voice.  
  
"So are you." He looked down at his feet. "How was...whatever you were doing?"  
  
"Fine. How was whoever you were doing?"  
  
Kaiba sighed and joined him on the couch. "Stop drinking," he muttered.  
  
"Stop having sex with other people," Jou murmured.  
  
Kaiba sighed again. "Katsuya..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You're my husband."  
  
"I know that. I was wondering if you did, though."  
  
"Katsuya!" Kaiba exclaimed incredulously.  
  
"Yes, Seto?" Jounochi shot a dirty look at Kaiba. "I'm not stupid. It's called an affair. But instead of you fucking *one* person, you're fucking practical strangers off the street!" Jounochi stood up and knocked back the rest of his drink. He leaned in really close to his husband's face, speaking slowly, as if to a child, "I'll stop drinking when you stop giving me reasons to do so." He straighten himself out. "I don't understand why you're doing this. I thought you love-- ...never mind. I was obviously wrong."  
  
"Katsuya!" Seto exclaimed, standing up.  
  
Jounochi pushed him back onto the couch. "Is that all you can say? My name? I guess we really don't talk anymore, do we? In case you don't remember who I am, I'm Jounochi Katsuya. I am your husband and we've been married for six years next week. We've been talking about adopting a kid, when all-of-a-sudden, you started acting weird. You started fucking random people, I started drinking so I wouldn't have to face the fact that you don't even have the decency to let me live in an ignorant bliss, choosing instead to do it right in front of me with no explanations or excuses. It became just a fact of my life: my husband's not satisfied with me. You know, sometimes, Seto, I really wonder why you married me."  
  
"Pack your things and leave," Kaiba said quietly.  
  
Jounochi shook his head. "What? Why?" he whispered.  
  
"Just leave."  
  
Jounochi stared at him, unable to think of anything to say. He began breathing in shaky breaths. "You want a divorce?"  
  
"I didn't say that. Just...please, leave."  
  
"Where the hell do you expect me to go, asshole? I wasn't aloud to have a job, you making me your 'kept-wife' and now you expect me to just go? For how long? Until I apologize?"  
  
"If you don't leave right now, I'll fucking call the cops."  
  
"And tell them what? That I, Jounochi Katsuya, husband to the great Kaiba Seto, is being kicked out? Great headline for tomorrow's paper, Mr. C.E.O."  
  
"Leave! Right now!" Kaiba burst out, standing up and pushing Jounochi.  
  
"You asshole," Jounochi muttered.  
  
"You're a fucking worthless drunk mutt that can't do ANYTHING right!" Kaiba screamed at him.  
  
Jounochi threw down his glass, which shattered into a million pieces. "And you, Kaiba Seto? You're a self-centered, egotistical, ignorant bastard rich pig who wouldn't care if the world died around you as long as you had your damn money!"  
  
Kaiba reached back and knocked Jounochi in the jaw. He fell back, landing next to the pile of glass, unknown to him. He stared at Kaiba, tears forming in his eyes. "What did I do wrong?" he whispered. He put his hand down to get himself up, but sobbed as a few alcohol-soaked glass shards pierced his skin. He held his hand close, staring up at Kaiba, tears falling down his cheeks.  
  
Kaiba stepped back, unable to believe what he had said and done. "Kat- Katsuya...I..."  
  
"Taxi. Call me a taxi," Jounochi sobbed.  
  
"Let me see your hand," Kaiba murmured, taking it.  
  
Jounochi fell against Kaiba, sobbing, as he began pulling the pieces out. "I'm worthless," he sobbed into Kaiba's leg. "I'm just a drunk. A worthless drunk--I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, please forgive me."  
  
Kaiba shook his head. He pulled on his glasses as he pulled the pieces out. "You always want forgiveness. Even for things you haven't done. You don't love me. You're still surprised I wanted to date you. You just feel special to be with me. So damn special that you're willing to compromise everything to please me. Six years since we married, huh? You'll be twenty-six soon, you know that?"  
  
"Today," Jounochi mumbled. "Today's my birthday."  
  
"Oh yeah..." he whispered dumbly. That's why he had come home early. To be with his husband on his birthday. "Katsuya...I..."  
  
"You meant every word you said and more. Don't take it back. It's time and it's been time for a couple months now, if not sooner."  
  
Kaiba dropped his husband's hand. "I'll call your taxi," he whispered, but made no motion to do so. Finally, unable to stand Jounochi's sobs any longer, he got up and left the room.  
  
"Happy birthday to me...happy birthday to me...happy birthday worthless stupid mutt...happy birthday to me..." 


	2. 02

Yugi eyed the man on the other side of the door. "Jounochi?"  
  
Jounochi rubbed his red, puffed-up eyes with the back of his hand. His bandaged hand held a small suitcase. "Hey Yugi," he sighed. "Can I stay on your couch for a few nights?"  
  
Yugi blinked, startled. "Jounochi...I...what happened?"  
  
"Me and Seto...Kaiba and I...we're...some things happened, so I guess I..."  
  
"Yugi? Who's here?" Ryou asked, walking up behind him. "Hey, Jounochi- kun. What's wrong?"  
  
"Can I stay here for...for a couple days?"  
  
"Yes, of course, come on in." He took Jounochi's bag. "I'll take this to the guest room. Yugi, why don't you get him something to drink...?"  
  
Yugi took Jounochi by the elbow and led him in. "You okay, Jou?"  
  
"Fine," he mumbled. "Seto and I...we got in a fight, and I'm waiting for...him to cool off..."  
  
Yugi led him to the couch. "Well, okay. Here, sit down...would you like something to drink?"  
  
"Um...got a beer or something?"  
  
Yugi scratched at the back of his neck. "Um...Bakura might...yeah, let me go ask him."  
  
Jounochi looked down at his hand, tightly bandaged to prevent infection and stop the bleeding. ~Seto still cares. He's got to. It's just...temporary. I'll call him tomorrow and everything...will...be fine...just fine...~  
  
Yugi came back, Bakura in tow. "Why should I give any to that mutt?" he muttered, but pulled out a glass and made Jou a Kaloha and cream. "Here." He set it down on the coffee table. He crossed his arms. "Did Kaiba kick the puppy out?"  
  
Jou shrugged. "It was just a fight. We're fine."  
  
Yugi sat down next to Jou and took his hand. "You sure, Jou? We're just concerned."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Bakura mumbled.  
  
"It was just a fight. Trust me."  
  
"Even so, Jou, you've never fought with him enough for you to leave..."  
  
"Maybe you should leave him alone," Ryou murmured, leaning on the back of the couch.  
  
Jou picked up the glass in a shaky hand, taking a sip. "C-can I be excused?" he whispered.  
  
"Yes, of course. If you need anything, just...ask..."  
  
Jou nodded at his best friend and stood up, avoiding eye-contact with any of them.  
  
Bakura sat down on the couch hard, shaking his head. "The baka dumped him," he muttered darkly.  
  
Ryou took his husband's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "Yugi, do you think...?"  
  
Yugi looked up at Ryou, giving him a small smile. "I think it's just what Jounochi said it was; a fight."  
  
Bakura shook at the two married idiots. "Don't be stupid. His hand's bandaged and he's been crying. It's more than just a fight. Mutt wouldn't ever leave Kaiba no matter how mad they got at each other. Jounochi had blind faith and obedience, just a like a dog. It takes a dog a lot to make him leave."  
  
Yugi shook his head. "Jounochi would tell me. I know he would."  
  
Ryou kissed Yugi softly. "I'm going to work," he murmured.  
  
Yugi nodded and ran his hand through his hair, sighing. Once Ryou was gone, Yugi asked Bakura softly, "Do you really think he kicked him out?"  
  
"Of course I do. Ask Yami, he'll tell you. You're both too hopeful that their relationship will work."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
Bakura sighed and mumbled darkly as he went over to the breadbox, that lacked bread. Casting aside a few trinkets, he pulled out a newspaper clipping. He walked back to Yugi and handed it to him. "From when they had their anniversary last year. Kaiba no baka was embarrassed and took the insults to heart. Wasn't he extremely sullen afterwards? He's embarrassed to be married to a man."  
  
Yugi scanned the article. It was an opinion piece about how scandalous it was that Kaiba was a gay man, yet still successful. "But how do you know he's embarrassed?"  
  
"Notice a lack of footage of them together that past year? Just ask Yami."  
  
"Why do you want me to ask Yami so damn bad? Isn't he you're, like, sworn enemy?"  
  
"He'll never get his memories back, you know," Bakura switched subjects. "He's driving himself crazy over it. It's better he didn't, in all reality. Too many... It's better he lives life from now on."  
  
"Bakura...?"  
  
"Yes, Yugi?"  
  
"Did he ever kill someone?"  
  
"Of course he did, mortal. Everyone killed back then. He was the sonabitch who punished my activities by sucking me into the damn Ring. I was a thief, that's what I did. Being a thief was perfectly fine back then. So I lied a bit on my earnings so I wouldn't pay taxes. He didn't need anything more from me. I already gave him all I had," he muttered.  
  
"Bakura?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How well did you know him...?"  
  
"Well enough, Yugi," he muttered, staring off into space. "Leave me alone for now."  
  
Yugi nodded, and stood up. He made his way to Yami's room. "Yami?" he called softly, knocking.  
  
"Yes Yugi?" came his voice, soft.  
  
"We need to open up the shop."  
  
Yami opened the door a crack and peered out. "Yugi? Is Jounochi here?"  
  
"Yes...what's wrong, Yami?"  
  
"I just..." He sighed, opening the door wide enough to let Yugi in. "I want to talk to you."  
  
Yugi walked into the tight space that had once been a walk-in closet. Yami had wanted his room that small. It was dark, gloomy, with a simple futon, shelves with clothes and a few trinkets, and nothing else. It was drawn upon in scattered hieroglyphs, making the room appear like an Egyptian tomb. "Yami..." Yugi breathed, staring at the walls. "What are you doing...?"  
  
Yami brought Yugi close to him, petting his hair softly. "Yugi...I've been searching our Soul Room. I am so confused. I wish...I wish I knew..."  
  
"Bakura--"  
  
"I hate that Tomb Robber!" His voice echoed faintly, giving the room a bigger feel than it really was.  
  
Yugi broke from Yami. "I have to go open shop," he said softly.  
  
Yami nodded, running a finger over a hieroglyph. "I'll be down later," he murmured. 


	3. 03

Bakura paced, outside of Yami's "room," mumbling to himself. "Yami?" he called, knocking on the door, breaking his pace. "Yami, open up!"  
  
"What?!" Yami yelled through the door.  
  
"You're being immature. Get the hell out of there!"  
  
"What in Ra's name are you talking about?"  
  
"You're mad that Ryou and Yugi are married and you're going crazy because you want to know what your Soul Room says. You've been like that the entire time they've been living together. Why can't you just let me in? I can read--"  
  
"Leave me alone!"  
  
Bakura sighed, leaning against the door. "You're scaring Jounochi," he tried another tactic, seeing Jounochi peeking from the guest room.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Bakura motioned Jou closer to him. "Jounochi wants to see you. Isn't that right, mutt?"  
  
"Yeah," he said weakly. "Come on out."  
  
Yami opened the door barely enough to look out. "Move, Bakura, I can't see him."  
  
Bakura stepped aside, flourishing his hands. "See? Jounochi. Open up."  
  
"No."  
  
Bakura rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "Yugi loves Ryou, not you. Get over it."  
  
"What do you care? Or do you just want to bother me?"  
  
"He lives in the closet?" Jounochi asked, confused.  
  
Bakura laughed. "He's self-involved. I bet the room is a shrine to Yugi."  
  
Yami burst through the door, ready to strangle Bakura. Bakura slide past him and flung the door open. "Oh Ra..." he murmured, staring at Yami's confinement, wide eyed.  
  
Yami held his hand out, the Eye glowing on his forehead. "MIND--"  
  
"Stop it!" Jounochi mumbled. "You're being a baka. Just...open up...he knows how to read."  
  
Yami narrowed his eyes at the blond. "You're drunk."  
  
"So?" he mumbled.  
  
"What happened, Jounochi?"  
  
"Seto kicked me out. He asked me to leave. So he can fuck everyone!" He punched the wall weakly. "I'm not good enough for him!" He banged his head against the wall, tears falling down his cheeks. "This is my birthday present!"  
  
Bakura blinked, startled. "Fuck everyone?"  
  
"He cheats on me right in front of me. And I never said anything; I wanted him to love me. I wanted to make him happy... But I couldn't! Why not?"  
  
"Jou..." Yami breathed. "You deserve better..."  
  
"No! I'll call him tomorrow and it will be fine! He'll take me back and we'll be happy again! He loves me! He'll always love me!" He began sobbing, punching the wall. "Love me...always..."  
  
Bakura shook his head. "You're kidding yourself, Jou. He's embarrassed to be with a guy."  
  
"No! No..."  
  
"He's right, Jounochi."  
  
"But he sleeps with guys, too!"  
  
"Yes...for every girl he suppose to be with, there's always the un-wanting feeling, so he replaces it with a guy. He wanted to push you out so he didn't have to himself."  
  
"No!" Jou screamed. "He loves me! And when I call him tomorrow it will just be a bad memory!"  
  
"Is that really how simple you think it is?" Bakura asked coldly. "It's not. Even if he still 'loves' you, he won't take you back! Not after he finally got you out! He'll do whatever he can not to face you again! So you might as well get over it!"  
  
"No!" Jou screamed, sliding down the wall, sobbing into his hands. "You're wrong! You're bitter! Seto loves me and always will!"  
  
"You think that." Bakura shook his head, his face showing disgust, but it's never that simple."  
  
"Why are you being so cruel, Tomb Robber?"  
  
"Pharaoh? Unless you knew what you were talking about, I'd advise you to keep quiet."  
  
Yami crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And *you* know what you're talking about?"  
  
"Yes," Bakura said icily. "I've had experience."  
  
"So you know what Kaiba's up to?" Yami suggested rudely.  
  
"No," Bakura said in an even voice. "I know what Jounochi is going through." He turned from them, but stopped, the open closet catching his interest. He ran a finger over something Yami had scrawled. "What are you doing? Just writing random things from your Soul Room? For what purpose? Do you plan to stare at them, waiting for them to make sense?" Bakura gave a sick, amused laugh. "'Forever wanting, unable to have. Meaningless power...that...prevents me from you.'" Bakura blinked, staring at it. He repeated it softly, under his breath. "'...prevents me...from?'" He stared at it, eyebrow raised. "Meaningless power that prevents me from being with...or having...you..." He turned from Yami and continued on down the hall. "Sounds like pharaoh had a forbidden crush. Too bad I can't read all the text." 


	4. 04

"Seto?"  
  
"Yes Puppy?"  
  
"What do you want to do tomorrow?"  
  
"For our anniversary?"  
  
"Yeah." Jounochi laid his head on Seto's shoulder, peering at the paper he's reading. "Whatcha reading?"  
  
"Just the business section. Kaiba Corp.'s doing well."  
  
"That's good. That means we can have fun tomorrow, right?"  
  
"Of course, Puppy." Seto set down the paper and took his husband's face in his hands. "I love you, you know that?"  
  
Jou nodded like an eager puppy. "Mmmhmmm...I love you, too."  
  
Seto smiled, running a hand down Jou's jaw. "You're so perfect," he murmured.  
  
"No one's perfect, Seto."  
  
Seto took off his glasses and smiled at Jou. "Silly little Puppy. MY puppy..."  
  
"You're so possessive."  
  
"Am I?" Seto asked, amused.  
  
"Wanna have sex?" Jou switched subjects.  
  
Seto laughed. "Not tonight, silly. I have work in the morning."  
  
"You *always* have work!" he whined. He fell against Seto, laying his head against his chest. "I bet the last time we had sex was over two years ago!"  
  
"Try two days, Puppy." Seto picked his glasses back up and began reading the paper again.  
  
"Two days?! That's forever!" He pulled Seto's nightshirt up and began sucking on his nipples. "Come on..." he begged.  
  
"Mmm..." Seto said distractedly.  
  
Jou was used to being ignored, but Seto always did it in a playful manner. He stopped and turned to peer at the paper. "What are you reading?"  
  
"Nothing," Seto said, quickly putting the paper away. He pinched at the area of his nose in between his eyes. "What were we talking about?"  
  
Jou stared at Seto, confused. "About how I'm horny..."  
  
"Oh...yeah..."  
  
"Is everything alright?"  
  
"Yeah, fine, why wouldn't it be?" Seto set his glasses down on the nightstand. "Lets just get some sleep, okay?"  
  
"I...okay...wait, Seto?"  
  
"Yes, Katsuya?" Seto's voice indicated he was getting irritated.  
  
"I love you."  
  
"Mmm..." He shut off the light.  
  
"What are we doing tomorrow?" Jou asked nervously.  
  
"Mmm...lets stay home, okay? We'll have the chef make us something nice...then we can have sex..."  
  
Jou grinned, snuggling closer to the brunette. "Goody. I'm gonna pick you up after work, `kay?"  
  
"Okay," Seto murmured.  
  
----------  
  
Jou smiled and nodded at the doorman. "Kounichi-wa."  
  
"Seto's up in his office, I believe. Happy anniversary."  
  
Jou grinned. "Arigoto. Have a nice afternoon," he said happily, going through the security checks. Man, Seto was really paranoid. He made his way up and noticed with passing interest that Seto's secretary wasn't at her desk. He shrugged and continued down the hall. He assumed he was in a meeting, except the door was partially open. He opened it and stepped back. "S-Seto..."  
  
~~~  
  
"Noooo!!!!!!!!" Jou screamed, sitting up in bed, sobbing. "Nononononononononononononoooo..."  
  
Kaiba had been on top of his secretary, on top of his desk, fucking.  
  
Jou began shaking in pain. "No!" he screamed.  
  
The light in the room flashed on. "Jounochi-kun?" Ryou asked worriedly.  
  
Bakura was right behind him, staring at him. "What in Ra's name happened?"  
  
"I think he was dreaming..." Ryou said softly.  
  
Bakura bolted from there, leaving Ryou. Ryou went over to Jounochi slowly. "Stop screaming, Jou-kun, please...don't scream."  
  
Jou fell silent, then began gasping, holding his head in his hands.  
  
Bakura came back, holding a glass in his hands. He pushed past Ryou and sat next to Jou on the bed. "Come on, drink. Take a drink." He brought the glass up to Jou's lips, making him drink.  
  
Jou fell silent, then wrapped his arms around Bakura, sobbing into his shoulder. "Oh God..."  
  
Bakura held Jou carefully. "It's okay...it's okay..." he muttered. "Just calm down..."  
  
"He was fucking his secretary! I came in and saw him...he didn't stop...he didn't know I was there...! He found me sobbing in the hallway... He cheated on me! And he kept doing it! I let him! I let him because I love him! But he...I...we..."  
  
Bakura eased himself away from Jou and passed him the drink. "Drink this. You'll feel better."  
  
"All I ever do is drink," he mumbled darkly. "That's why he left me."  
  
"No it isn't," Bakura rubbed his back, forcing the glass into Jou's hand. "It's because he can't handle criticism. He's a god to so many people...and it hurt his reputation."  
  
"But he loves me," Jou insisted, throwing back the entire drink.  
  
"Maybe...I don't know. It was one thing to have a gay fling when he was a teenager. But you're both getting older. And he wants a normal life."  
  
"What the hell is normal?"  
  
"Normal is something people don't question."  
  
Ryou took Yugi's hand, who had silently joined him at the doorway. "I think Bakura can handle it," he whispered to Ryou.  
  
Ryou nodded and turned from there, pulling Yugi back to bed.  
  
"He loves me," Jou insisted. "You'll see."  
  
"Then it must be killing him to be hurting you this way," Bakura murmured.  
  
"Why are you listening to me?"  
  
Bakura was silent. He looked out the window. "It's hard to see the stars in this 'city,'" he muttered.  
  
"I suppose...never really cared before."  
  
"We used to look at the stars. From his room..."  
  
"Who?" Jou asked softly.  
  
"The person who hurt me," he muttered, looking away from the sky. "You never understand, truly, how they could do it. Not why. That's perfectly understandable. But how. If they love you as much as they claimed, then it must be hurting them just as much--no, more--to hurt you." He threw back his head a laughed his twisted laugh. "So they get rid of you! I get it! It only hurts as long as you're there!"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Bakura turned to Jounochi, his expression unreadable. It wasn't bad, just...not common on Bakura's face. "You wanna go out to a bar or something?"  
  
Jou glanced at the clock. It was only 12:03. "Um...sure...got any money?"  
  
Bakura grumbled and nodded. "Yeah, my treat. Get dressed, I'll meet you outside."  
  
Jou nodded. ~I'm going to ignore right now the strange fact I'm going out to get drinks with a creepy 3000-year-dead, homicidal albino Tomb Robber and Soul Stealer. I *really* don't care right now.~ 


	5. 05

"You know, Jounochi...you're not dat bad..." Bakura mumbled.  
  
"I'm not?"  
  
"Nnnn... Not like...not like Ryou's...udder friends...you're different. You're...cooool..."  
  
"Cool, huh?"  
  
"Mmmhmmm..." Bakura set down his drink and laid his head on his folded arms. "I'm sleepy..."  
  
"Maybe you should pay the tab before you take a nap..." Jou gently coaxed.  
  
"Pay? Oh yeah...ummm..."  
  
"You have you're wallet, right?"  
  
"Yes, yes...don't bother me. I'm not done. `Tender? Get me another..." he picked up his glass and examined the remaining liquid through blurry, squinted eyes. "...these..."  
  
The bartender shook his head and began mixing Bakura's drink.  
  
Bakura turned to Jou. "You're kind of pretty, too..."  
  
"You're drunk," Jou murmured, sipping at his drink.  
  
"So? So are you!" Bakura accused.  
  
"Not as much as you," Jou smiled tauntingly.  
  
Bakura snatched his drink from the bartender's hand. He pointed a shaky finger at Jou. "So? I have...`scuse..."  
  
"An excuse? Why's that?"  
  
"We weren't allowed to drink wine. Only the pharaoh and his...*priests*. The rest of us...COMMON-folk...had to suck down that gross beer shit..."  
  
Jou shook his head, amused. "Tell me more about Egypt," he whispered.  
  
"Hot, sandy..." Bakura mumbled. "No air condition...but it was cold at night...plus crocodiles wanna eat you..."  
  
"So tell me about the person who broke *your* heart."  
  
"Just this guy I knew...no one special."  
  
"You know I don't believe that. He must have been awfully special if you're so damn bitter."  
  
Bakura swallowed down his drink. He gazed at Jou through his squinted eyes. "Just..."  
  
"Was he a noble or something?"  
  
"You could say that..."  
  
"A priest?"  
  
"Um...you could say that..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Just some guy..." Bakura mumbled miserably.  
  
"Does it really hurt that much after all this time?"  
  
Bakura turned to Jou, not looking so drunk anymore. He set down his drink and stared Jou in the eyes. "It will haunt you until the day you die. You want to know why you were so disposable to them when they meant so much to you. It's just...it's...the burn-y fire-y place where that cool guy hangs out in..."  
  
"Hell?" Jou offered somberly.  
  
Bakura nodded miserably. "Yeah...hell..."  
  
"What happened to a person after they died if they had lived a bad life?" Jou changed the subject slightly.  
  
"Ummm...nothing...well, if they were a common person, it didn't matter if you were good or bad...you just died and that was the end. If you had the proper burial and all that...if no tomb robbers messed with your tomb before you passed to the next world...and you passed all the judgments...you just went on to the next life. But if you had all that, but didn't pass the judgments...your soul was eaten and then nothing...no more of you."  
  
"That's...sad..."  
  
"Yeah...it is...but I got the other alternative...I'm never going to die...not even when Ryou does. I'll just go back into the Ring and...wait for him to find me again in another life. I wonder why Ra changed the rules...there was no such thing as rebirth back then..."  
  
"Come on, you're getting emotional," Jou stood up and tried helping Bakura up. Bakura leaned against Jou and fished out his wallet, handing it to Jou. Jou took it and pulled out the money, leaving a nice tip for the guy.  
  
Bakura leaned his head against Jou. "I don't wanna got home..."  
  
"We gotta, it's getting late...or early..."  
  
Bakura giggled. "That sounds weird..."  
  
"Come on, I'm not carrying you home..."  
  
Bakura began walking a bit uneasy. They spent most of the walk to themselves. Finally, Bakura tripped and fell against Jou, who fell against a wall. "Jou..." Bakura breathed into the blonde's ear. "Have you ever wondered what it would be like being with someone other than Kaiba?"  
  
Jou shook his head, getting Bakura back on his feet. "Why should I? I love Seto and we're getting back together."  
  
Bakura gapped at Jounochi as he started walking ahead of him. "You're living in a fantasy world, you...golden retriever!"  
  
Jounochi stopped, but didn't turn around. "He loves me, Bakura. We'll be back together."  
  
"I think you're wrong, Jou."  
  
"You're wrong! You don't know him the way I do!"  
  
"And you don't know him the way I do. Personalities don't change that much through rebirths. Kaiba...or Priest Seto as I knew him...isn't going to take you back. He's embarrassed and he'll refuse to feel embarrassed no matter what he has to do to not be."  
  
"Shut up, Bakura. You don't know what you're talking about. He loves me and he always will. I'll call him later and he will...I'll apologize--"  
  
"You will?! What the HELL did YOU do?!"  
  
"I made him mad. That's all that matters, okay?"  
  
Bakura shook his head. "You're living in a dream world.". 


	6. 06

"BAKURA!"  
  
Jou sat straight up in bed.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"  
  
Jou rubbed his eyes and padded slowly out into the living room. Bakura was staring Yami off. "I was trying to make coffee..."  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"Because I'm DRUNK! And I thought Ryou and Yugi would enjoy it before work. I have a headache, so SHUT UP!"  
  
Jou raised his eyebrow when he got to the kitchen. There was coffee beans and cream everywhere. He sighed, shaking his head. "With all that screaming, Ryou and Yugi won't *need* caffeine to keep them awake. I'll make the coffee..."  
  
"Do you even drink it?" Yami asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Then you'll make a bigger mess than Bakura," Yami concluded.  
  
"Wrong. I make it for Seto all the time." Jou scooped up a handful of beans from the counter, putting it in the grinder.  
  
"OWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" Bakura screamed above the noise, clutching at his head.  
  
Jou shook his head and put a filter into the coffee drip. "Baby..." he muttered.  
  
"MY HEAD!" Bakura sobbed.  
  
Jou and Yami turned to look at him, startled. Tears were falling down his cheeks and his breath kept catching in his throat. Jou stopped the grinder. "I'm sorry Bakura..."  
  
Bakura shook his head. He fell onto the couch, clutching at his head.  
  
"Yami, do something..."  
  
Yami timidly sat down next to Bakura. "You...you okay?"  
  
Bakura shook his head, then laid his head on Yami's lap.  
  
Yami raised his eyebrows. "Uhhh...I wish I could help..."  
  
Bakura whimpered into Yami's leg. "Pharaoh? Do you really hate me?"  
  
"I...um..."  
  
"Okay..." Bakura whispered.  
  
"No, not I don't. You just threatened my aibou, Bakura. You hated me."  
  
"It's more than that," Bakura sobbed, clutching at his head again.  
  
"Then why?"  
  
Bakura shook his head. "I wasn't drunk enough last night and I'm not hung over enough this morning. I'm never telling either of you imbeciles," he mumbled. Yami sighed, standing up. Bakura's head fell against the couch and he moaned again. "Where's my coffee?" he grumbled.  
  
Jou sighed, too, and started the drip.  
  
~~~  
  
Bakura sipped at his coffee. "This is terrible," he muttered.  
  
Ryou sighed and passed him the sugar. "Try that."  
  
Bakura dumped about a cup full of sugar into his mug, then took a sip. "Much better," he murmured.  
  
Yugi came in, clutching his bathrobe to him. "`Morning everyone."  
  
Ryou wrapped his arms around Yugi and kissed him good morning. "Would you like something to eat, Yugi?"  
  
Yugi shook his head and poured himself a cup of coffee. "How's everyone this beautiful morning?"  
  
Bakura grumbled, but nodded at Yugi.  
  
Yami nodded at Yugi, but stayed quiet.  
  
"Jounochi?"  
  
Jounochi was sitting the farthest from everyone, leaning his head on his fist, hair in his face. "Fine," he mumbled. "Do you think it's too early to call Seto?"  
  
Yugi looked at Ryou. "I..."  
  
"I'm going to call him." He stood up. "Can I use your phone?"  
  
"It only works on speaker," Yugi murmured. "Bakura messed with it."  
  
Bakura gave himself a self-satisfied smile.  
  
Jou dialed the number. "Moshi-moshi?" came Kaiba's mumbled sleep-filled greeting.  
  
"`Morning, Seto."  
  
"Katsuya?" Seto burst out, surprised.  
  
Everyone flinched, even Bakura. That didn't sound good.  
  
"Yeah, I...good morning. How are you?"  
  
"Uh...fine...why are you calling?"  
  
"To...to...I..." Jou shot everyone a pleading look. He obviously hadn't arranged what he'd say. "You're usually up before now," Jou murmured.  
  
"Yeah, well..."  
  
"Can I come home?" Jou finally cut to the chase.  
  
A long sigh. "What part of 'get out' don't you understand, Katsuya?"  
  
"I am out. And I want to come back. Home. With you."  
  
Another sigh. "Katsu, we need some time apart."  
  
"I don't want to be apart from you, Seto..."  
  
"I need time to think."  
  
"About what?" Jou nearly sobbed.  
  
"Just...about us...about me..."  
  
"What about? Can't I come home?"  
  
"You should come over while I'm at work and pick up some of your stuff."  
  
"My stuff? Why? Why Seto?"  
  
"I have...just...just do it."  
  
"I'm confused, Seto. What's going on?"  
  
"I'm cheating on you, okay?! What part of that's so confusing?"  
  
Jou stepped back from the phone, then fell to his knees in front of it, as if it was Kaiba himself. "Seto...it doesn't matter...I can come home and...it will be like before. I promise..."  
  
"I don't want it like before! Don't you understand?! You're a guy! I can't be married to a guy! Will you just...just leave me alone..."  
  
"Kaiba Seto! What the hell are you talking about?!"  
  
"I want a separation, okay? That plain enough for you to understand?!"  
  
Jou blinked several times, then a sob erupted from his throat.  
  
"Katsu--" he began apologetically.  
  
"Shut up! I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Jou slammed his fists on the table, then bolted from the room.  
  
Kaiba sighed. "Katsuya? Katsuya..."  
  
Yugi walked over to the phone. "Kaiba?"  
  
"Yugi, I--"  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing," Kaiba mumbled. "Is Katsuya staying over there?" he asked, trying to hide his concern.  
  
"Yeah, he's here. Why isn't he there, Kaiba?"  
  
"Just...we're spending some time apart."  
  
"Why? He sure seems miserable."  
  
"I...miserable?"  
  
"He went out for drinks last night with Bakura. He has to be awfully miserable if you ask me." He turned to Bakura. "No offense."  
  
Bakura waved his hand dismissingly.  
  
"He had a nightmare last night, too," Yugi continued. "You're being stupid and you know it."  
  
"Don't tell me what I am, Yugi. If Katsuya wanted to divorce me, you'd let him without another thought, right?"  
  
"Not if you were this miserable, Kaiba. And what this about a divorce? I thought you only wanted a separation."  
  
"I just...I just need some time to think, okay?"  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"I'll see where my thoughts take me."  
  
"I know you still care about him, Kaiba. Why--"  
  
"I have to get ready for work," Kaiba mumbled. "Good bye, Yugi. I'll cover any costs it takes for Katsuya while he's over there."  
  
"Don't bother. I care enough about him. It doesn't matter." Yugi clicked off the phone. "That...asshole..."  
  
Ryou raised an eyebrow. It wasn't every day Yugi swore.  
  
Yugi sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't open the shop today. I bet Jounochi could use some company."  
  
"I'll take him," Bakura said suddenly.  
  
Yami raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were hung-over."  
  
"I'm a spirit, we don't keep physical pain for very long. Besides, I have a few things I need to do today and I need a mortal with me. It's no trouble at all."  
  
"You promise you won't kill him or hurt him in any shape way or form?"  
  
Bakura rolled his eyes. "I promise from the bottom of my heart and to the great Hourus. I'll go fetch him hither." Bakura skipped off.  
  
"Keep the Shakespeare from him, Ryou," Yugi mumbled.  
  
He pushed Jou out in front of him, slipping a shirt around his shoulders. "Come on, blondie, I have things to do."  
  
"I dun` wanna go nowhere."  
  
"Good, I was afraid you didn't want to go ANY where." Bakura picked up Jou's shoes and pushed Jou into a chair. "Get ready," he commanded.  
  
Jou shook his head, sighing. "Where are we going?"  
  
"If you get ready, you'll find out soon enough. Come on, jake ass."  
  
"You mean jackass," Jou muttered.  
  
Bakura picked Jou up and tossed him over his shoulder. "You take too long. Lets go."  
  
Jou cracked a smile. "You're going to carry me there?"  
  
"Yes, I plan to."  
  
Jounochi sighed and relaxed. "Just don't drop me on my head."  
  
"Promise," Bakura grinned. 


	7. 07

"Bakura!"  
  
"Marik!"  
  
"Jounochi...?"  
  
"Marik?"  
  
Marik stared at the sight before him. His best friend was carrying the sandy blond over his shoulder. "May I ask what's going on?"  
  
"We came to give you a home warming party. I've carried these all the way from the Game Shop." Bakura produced a bottle of wine.  
  
Marik clapped his hands together. "Splendid! Come right on in!" He moved to allow Bakura in. He closed the door and followed him into his apartment. "Yea...a blond and some wine. You always know what to get me, Bakura!"  
  
Bakura set Jounochi on the carpeted floor and glanced around. The apartment was...empty... "Um...nice place."  
  
"I'm going to buy furniture later."  
  
"You're barefoot," Bakura commented.  
  
"I like the way the carpet feels," Marik pouted, crossing his arms. "We didn't have carpet in Egypt."  
  
"Carpet always freaked me out," Bakura commented, tossing himself onto the floor as if it was a couch. "Oh, very nice..." he said sarcastically.  
  
"I don't have any glasses...so hello...Jounochi."  
  
Jou nodded at Marik. "Namo...Marik...I..."  
  
"Marik," he whispered.  
  
Jou nodded.  
  
"I...I'm sorry about the last time I saw you..."  
  
"Don't worry about. I'm just having a bad day..."  
  
"The day's barely begun, what's wrong?"  
  
"Kaiba and Jou have...separated."  
  
"You married that fool? You really are a blond."  
  
"And you aren't?" Bakura peered up at him.  
  
"Jou...I hope things work out for the better," Marik said softly.  
  
Jou nodded. "Thank you. So what are you doing in Japan?"  
  
"I moved here. I don't like sand very much. Never have. After seeing all the buildings and lights and...Japan is so nice..."  
  
Jou raised an eyebrow. "Did you live in a pyramids or something?"  
  
Marik smiled. "Something like that. So...other than marrying that baka, how's your life been?"  
  
"Yugi and my aibou married each other about a year ago," Bakura muttered. "So I'm stuck with the pharaoh."  
  
"Sucks to be you," Marik laughed. "And that...the black haired one?"  
  
"Otogi? Ryou works for him as his personal assistant. I think he's dating someone."  
  
"And Honda?"  
  
"Moved to America," Jou mumbled. They had lost touch with each other after Jou had come out of the closet.  
  
"What about the girl?"  
  
"Lost touch after she married someone. They moved into the country. She annoyed me anyway..." Bakura muttered.  
  
"So Jounochi Katsuya is gay?" Marik asked, amused. "Kind of...surprising."  
  
Jou shrugged. "Does it really matter?"  
  
"No, not really...want something to drink?" Marik held out the bottle.  
  
Jou shrugged. Of all the places he could have dragged him off to...  
  
Marik sighed. "Or would you rather leave?"  
  
Bakura hit Jou on the shoulder. "Don't be rude." He grabbed the bottle and popped the cork out of it. "To better, happier times!" he toasted, knocking back the bottle.  
  
~~~  
  
Marik ran his hand though Jou's hair. "You have nice hair," he murmured.  
  
Jou looked at him through the corner of his eyes. "Are you hitting on me?" he asked, amused. He was more than a little drunk, as were the two Egyptians, even though he suspected, since the wine was so cheap, they were mostly pretending.  
  
"No, I'm seducing you!" Marik giggled, pulling Jou to the ground. He lounged next to him, running his hand along Jou's cheek bone. Like Kaiba did to him a lot. Jou closed his eyes, feeling comforted. "You're so pretty," Marik purred, leaning closer to him.  
  
Bakura took a sip of the wine, a smile growing on his face.  
  
"No `m not," Jounochi muttered. He gazed up at the platinum blond Egyptian. ~He's pretty, though...I like his hair...~  
  
"Aren't you hot in that shirt?" Marik asked, undoing the buttons.  
  
"Not really..." Jou murmured, but helped Marik take it off anyway.  
  
Marik took Jou's face in his hands and began stroking him lightly, a small smile on his face. "You're even hotter without it," he laughed lightly. He began running his hand over Jou's skin, sending shivers through Jou.  
  
"Wow..." Jou whispered. ~It feels so good...~  
  
Marik laid down more, sliding his other hand to take Jou's face in his grasp. He was lieing halfway on him, staring into his caramel eyes, centimeters from his face. "Do you like it when I do this?" he whispered.  
  
"Y-yeah..." ~What's happening...?~  
  
Marik wetted his lips with his tongue. "Really...? Then you'll like it even better when I do this..." He closed his eyes and leaned in close to Jou, fitting his lips with Jou's.  
  
"Mmmph..." Jou had been expecting it, but was still surprised when their lips had met. "Marik," he tried to mumble, but Marik took Jou's opened mouth to his advantage. Marik's warm tongue ran over Jounochi's, as his hands trailed over Jou's body. Jou awkwardly ran his hands along Marik's back. He knew better than to press too hard; he had a thing about that. He broke from Marik, gasping. "Stop. We have to stop. Just...stop..." His hands covered his face as he began breathing heavily.  
  
"Jounochi..." Marik sat up, shocked. "Are you okay...?"  
  
"I'm fine...I just...I can't do this..."  
  
"How long have they been separated...?" Marik asked in a strange voice, barley glancing at Bakura.  
  
Bakura cleared his throat, uneasily. "Well, um...a few hours?"  
  
Marik turned to Bakura suddenly. "You've got to be kidding me..." He leaned in, brushing Jounochi's bangs back. "Jounochi...Jouno...calm down...I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't know..."  
  
Jou moved his hands away from his face, staring up at Marik with tear- filled eyes. "I'm sorry...it's not you, Marik..."  
  
"No, don't worry..." Marik pulled Jou into an embrace, gently stroking his hair. "It's okay, Jounochi..."  
  
"I'm really sorry, Marik... I know you're a nice guy... I'm sorry...."  
  
Marik shot Bakura a pleading side-long glance. "Don't worry about it, Jounochi...I'd be asking a lot to expect you to start dating right away."  
  
"I'm suppose to date?!" Jou sat up suddenly.  
  
Bakura scratched the back of his head. "You walked out before Kaiba and Yugi had their little conversation..."  
  
"*What* conversation?" Jou asked shortly.  
  
Bakura sighed. "I'm not denying you the fact Kaiba cares about you. It was obvious. But I just think... It's like I said, mutt. He's ashamed to be seen with you..."  
  
"Bakura..." Marik said softly.  
  
Jou shook his head. "You're *wrong.*"  
  
"Why do you have to be so thick-headed?! He doesn't want to be gay! After a few months, he's going to tell you it's over. He needs this time to get over you! But then it's over! So date someone else!"  
  
Jou stood up, pointing an unsteady, shaking finger at Bakura. "You're *wrong*! He loves me and everything will be *fine*! It's going to be--" He slammed his fists into the wall. "No! NOOOoooo...!!" he sobbed. "He...he loves me..." He slammed his head against the wall, sobbing.  
  
"Then he wouldn't hurt you this way..." Marik murmured. "You don't deserve this, Jounochi."  
  
Bakura reached up and took Jou's hand. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Jou."  
  
"Since when do you care?" Jou bit his words off angrily.  
  
"Jounochi," Bakura growled, pulling Jou down into his lap.  
  
Jou fought against him. "Let go of me!" he screamed.  
  
Bakura took Jou's hand in his and ripped off the bandages. "What in Ra's name happened here?!"  
  
"I cut myself!"  
  
"On what?!"  
  
"A broken glass!"  
  
"How'd that happen?!"  
  
"I slammed it down when..." He stopped struggling.  
  
"When?" Bakura asked softly.  
  
"When Seto and I got in the fight...when he told me to leave..." Jou rubbed his forehead. "He's not going to take me back..." His face fell and he bit his lip. "I didn't mean to make him mad..."  
  
"Jounochi?" Marik asked gently. "Did he ever hit you? Or anything like that?"  
  
Jou shook his head. "Never..." he breathed.  
  
Bakura shook his head. "No...Kaiba isn't like that. Even I'll give him that."  
  
Tears began falling down Jounochi's cheeks. "I love him so much..." he sobbed softly.  
  
Crawling over to them, Marik wrapped his arms around Jounochi and Bakura. Jounochi began crying into Marik's shoulder as the two Egyptians held him. After Jou's tears began to dry up, Marik murmured, "It will be okay...Bakura and I have got you in a nice man-wich." He tighten his grasp around them.  
  
Jou giggled.  
  
Bakura placed a hand on Jou's bare hip. "Get your shirt back on so we can take Marik out to eat. He didn't come all the way out to Japan to drink imported wine."  
  
Jou smiled. "Okay," he murmured, getting up. "I'm going to go wash my face..."  
  
"Bathroom's down that hall," Marik pointed.  
  
Once Jou had left, Marik shook his head at Bakura and said in disbelief, "You didn't even tell me..."  
  
"Oh for crying out loud...they have been virtually separated for about a year now."  
  
"I can't believe Kaiba would do something like that to him..."  
  
"I can. Men of high status are totally predictable."  
  
"That lost love thing again?" Marik asked begrudgingly.  
  
"SOR-ry," Bakura muttered. "So do you still like him?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Then go for it."  
  
"Do you think he'll like me back?"  
  
"No hurt in trying."  
  
Marik sighed and leaned back a bit. "You don't think I'm weird, do you?"  
  
"Since when does my opinion mattered? The mutt's not...bad looking..."  
  
"It's more than that..."  
  
"He cries too much, but I guess it's understandable right now. He seems like a nice guy, I guess..."  
  
Marik nodded, staring up at the ceiling. "It'd be fun to paint this room," he commented. He made a face at the tan color. "If I wanted to stare at sand all day, I would have stayed in that underground hell-hole."  
  
"What ever happened to Yami Marik? Is he gone for good?" Bakura asked suddenly.  
  
Marik didn't say anything for several minutes. Finally, he tilted his head to look at Bakura. "He's not really there. There's the hate and the pain and the self-doubt. But never to the extreme he became... I have control over it now. I can get mad without trying to kill everyone. I'm suppose to get a therapist or something, but I bet they'd think I was crazy with everything I told them."  
  
Bakura laughed. "Well, that's good. About being able to control it, I mean." 


	8. 08

Marik sighed and slammed down the sushi menu. "Why isn't there anything with just vegetable?"  
  
Jou cocked an eyebrow and pointed. "The spring roll. It has...cucumber...carrot...rice and seaweed of course, um..."  
  
Bakura shook his head. "Really, Marik, raw fish? It's almost as great as a nice, juicy, bloody rare steak. But half the calories!" he grinned.  
  
Marik looked like he was about to puke. "That's disgusting."  
  
"And so is your lack of taste for raw human flesh," Bakura pointed his chopstick at him, speaking seriously.  
  
Just then, the waiter came over. He shot Bakura a strange look and looked like he may puke himself. He cleared his throat. "Kounichi-wa, welcome to Shiai no Kai [Contest of Shellfish; actually seen a place called that]. Can I get you anything to drink?"  
  
"Is there anything besides *tea*?" Marik asked confused.  
  
The waiter cocked an eyebrow. "Of course, we have all sorts of soft drinks..."  
  
"Soft drinks?" Marik repeated, glancing at Jounochi and Bakura, confused.  
  
"Like jack and coke without the jack," Bakura mumbled.  
  
"Are you not from here?" the waiter asked. ~Are you from this planet?~  
  
"He's from Egypt," Bakura mumbled, staring at the menu. "And a vegetarian, plus he lived a *very* sheltered life." ~Try never meeting anyone besides his immediate family for most of his life.~  
  
Jou sighed. "I'll have a Sprite and he," he said pointing to Marik, "will have a Coke."  
  
"I'll have...this beer you have..." Bakura muttered.  
  
The waiter nodded and walked away. ~Poor blond. He has very strange friends.~  
  
Jou shook his head. "Bakura, do you know what you want?"  
  
"Fatty tuna," he grinned, shooting Marik an emphasized *look*.  
  
Marik groaned. "Eww..." he muttered.  
  
"You, Marik, are going to get this," Jou pointed at something on the menu.  
  
"Vegetarian tempura roll? What the hell is 'tempura'?"  
  
"Japanese fried food," Bakura explained.  
  
"You're awfully...clueless on these matters, Marik. How do you know Japanese so well anyway?"  
  
"My sister taught me," he mumbled. "I can speak Japanese, English, French, some German, and a little Spanish."  
  
"And Egyptian?"  
  
"You mean Arabic?" Marik asked pointedly. "Yes, of course."  
  
"That's a lot of languages."  
  
Marik shrugged.  
  
"Can you speak ancient Egyptian?"  
  
"I can read hieroglyphs, if that's what you mean. No one really knows how to speak it anymore, just the Romanized form of it. So...sort of..."  
  
"Can you Bakura?"  
  
"Speak Egyptian? I know a few spells and curses, but I've basically lost that ability. I can still read it, though. Japanese is about all I know. A few American phrases from television."  
  
"TV..." Marik murmured. "What about you, Jou?"  
  
"I had to learn English in high school, but I've all but forgotten most of it. I can understand it pretty well, but my accent's all off and it's hard to string the sentences together. Seto liked to speak English sometimes, I guess since he deals with a lot of American companies..."  
  
Marik and Bakura nodded politely. "I don't like Americans," Bakura muttered.  
  
"Why not?" Marik asked, interested.  
  
"I hate Pegasus, I hate that Bandit Keith, and I really, really, really hated that Rebecca..." he muttered. "Their TV's funny, though..."  
  
"So if you can read hieroglyphics--"  
  
"'Hieroglyphs,'" Marik corrected.  
  
"...hieroglyphs...then couldn't you help Yami?"  
  
"The pharaoh?"  
  
"His Soul Room's littered with things he wishes he could read," Bakura explained. "I've offered to help several times, mutt. Pharaoh no baka has no intention of letting either of us help him."  
  
The waiter returned with their drinks. "Are we ready to order?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Fatty tuna roll!" Bakura said gleefully.  
  
"The...the..." Marik pointed at the menu.  
  
"Vegetarian tempura..." the waiter mumbled. "And you?"  
  
"Shrimp tempura roll. And a bowl of misu soup," Jou added.  
  
"Arigoto, I'll be out with your orders when they're ready."  
  
~~~  
  
Marik poked at the *thing* on his plate with one of the sticks. "I can't eat this," he finally said.  
  
Jou passed Marik his soup. "Eat this until I can get you a fork or something."  
  
"It's not that..." Marik sipped at the soup carefully. "This is pretty good..."  
  
Bakura elbowed Jou. "Feed him until you can get him a fork. No fair to let him starve, now, is it?"  
  
Jou sighed, setting down his chopsticks. He picked Marik's up. He brought a piece up to Marik's lips. "Open up."  
  
Marik looked at Bakura in panic. "You promise I won't die from this, right?"  
  
Bakura shook his head. "Of all the things you've been through, you're worried about eating semi-raw vegetables?"  
  
"Ba-KUR-ra!" Marik whined.  
  
"Even if this was meat, which it isn't, it's been deep fried for a few seconds. It's cooked. Now open up."  
  
"I'll eat it if you give me a kiss," Marik said hopefully.  
  
Jou raised an eyebrow. "I can tell you're still drunk."  
  
"Come on..." Marik whined.  
  
Jou sighed and set down the piece. "Fine, then starve."  
  
"Jouuuunnoochiii...." Marik whined.  
  
Jou raised his eyebrows at Bakura. "He's very annoying when he wants to be."  
  
"It's sad that he's my best friend in this whole, wide, fucked-up world, I know. But what's even sadder is this prick has a thing for you."  
  
"Bakura!" Marik said sharply.  
  
Jounochi laughed. "I find that hard to believe."  
  
"Why's that?" Bakura poked him with his chop sticks.  
  
Jou bit at his lip nervously. "I... I just don't seem like your type."  
  
"My type?" Marik asked with a hint of laughter in his voice. "What do you think my type is?"  
  
"I...um...not me..."  
  
Bakura threw his head back and laughed loudly. Several people turned to stare at him, but he ignored them. "Jounochi...mutt...he's liked you since the minute he laid eyes on you."  
  
Jounochi's eyes widened. "But...how...?"  
  
"Yes, I was attempting to hit a nerve with the pharaoh, but you were very cute, too." Marik smiled.  
  
"But I...I always thought...you two..."  
  
"Us?!" Marik burst out. He stared at Bakura horrified. He leaned across the table and whispered loudly, pointing to Bakura, "Would *you* date that freak?"  
  
"Look who's talking, Marik Ishtar, Mister I'm-going-to-take-over-the-world- and-become-the-pharaoh-of-everyone-by-unlocking-the-power-which-foolishly-I- don't-realize--"  
  
"Enough!" Marik burst out.  
  
"At least I just wanted power, not to be 'king of the world.'"  
  
Jou sighed and picked up a piece of his sushi. "You argue like a married couple."  
  
"Did you and Kaiba ever argue that way?" Marik asked suddenly.  
  
"No." Jou let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Our fights...when we had them...were pretty one-sided. Either I yelled at him or he yelled at me. It wasn't really back and forth bickering."  
  
They sat silent for a few minutes, Bakura chewing on his fatty tuna thoughtfully. "You know, I guess we can't say we'd never date each other."  
  
"What's *that* suppose to mean, Bakura?" Marik asked indignantly.  
  
Bakura rolled his eyes and turned to face Jounochi. "In the beginning...we were...fuck buddies...friends with benefits, you know the entire thing."  
  
"So what happened?" Jou asked confused.  
  
"Yami Marik," they said in unison.  
  
"He's gone now," Marik quickly added. "Without the magic of the Rod, it's less than a split personality now."  
  
"So why didn't you two ever really date?"  
  
"I don't date," Bakura mumbled.  
  
"He's never gotten over his first love," Marik murmured. He picked up his chopsticks and began poking at his sushi. "Would you help me with this, Jounochi?"  
  
Jounochi picked it up with his chop sticks and said evenly, "Open up."  
  
Marik parted his lips. Jounochi leaned in and placed his lips on Marik's, joining him into a chaste kiss. Marik gave a surprised yelp, then placed his hand gently on Jounochi's cheek, tilting in for a more satisfying kiss.  
  
Jounochi broke from him suddenly, gasping. "I'm sorry, I can't. I--" he cut off, looking down.  
  
Marik stared ahead, where Jou's face had been, bringing his finger up to lightly grace his lips. "Wow..."  
  
Bakura threw back his head in his creepy laugh. "How was your first kiss, Marik?"  
  
Jou's eyes widen. "That was his...?"  
  
"He had some 'porno tongue' from me," Bakura explained, "but never a real kiss."  
  
"I-- I don't know what to say."  
  
Bakura laughed again, more quietly, though he still attracted some attention. He waved his hand in front of Marik's eyes and snapped his fingers. "Wake up, bud."  
  
Marik growled and grabbed Bakura's wrist. "Don't ruin my moment, roba!"  
  
"Your moment?" Jou asked softly, a hint of a laugh on his lips.  
  
Marik blushed. "Jounochi...would you like...to go on a real date? With me..."  
  
Jounochi looked down and began poking at the left-over wasabi with his chop sticks. "That would be nice," he said softly. He picked up a piece of Marik's sushi with his fingers and turned to him. "You have to eat," he joked softly. He brought it to Marik's mouth. 


	9. 09

Jounochi stared into the soft lavender eyes of the slightly shorter blond. "I had fun tonight," he said softly, smiling. And he had. Jounochi showed Marik around the city a bit and they ended up at a small restaurant where they both could agree on what to order. (Plus they had forks and spoons.) And now here they were, in front of Marik's apartment complex.  
  
"Me too," Marik whispered. While Jounochi was relaxed, Marik had been slightly nervous the entire time, though he HAD had a lot of fun. But now, standing there in font of his apartment, his heart was beating loudly and quite fast.  
  
Jou bit at his lip, then swallowed, nervously. "I..." He took a deep breath and placed his hand gently on Marik's cheek. He leaned in and brought his lips to Marik's.  
  
Marik sucked in a shocked breath as his knees began to buckle. ~How cliche~ he thought darkly.  
  
Jou laughed very lightly and wrapped his arms around Marik, pulling him into the kiss. Marik tiled his head to the side and parted his lips, allowing Jou tongue to explore his mouth. As they pulled away from the kiss, Marik moaned low in his throat. Jou smiled. He brushed a few strands of Marik's golden hair back and leaned in for another, though shorter, kiss.  
  
Marik gasped as Jounochi pushed him against the wall of the building and began kissing at his neck. Marik moaned, pulling Jou closer to him by the waist. "Oh Jounochi..."  
  
He leaned up, smiling a bit. "You can call me 'Jou,' too, if you like."  
  
"Jou...would you like to come up?" Marik asked a bit too hopeful.  
  
Jou placed a gentle kiss on Marik's lips. "Yes, that would be nice," he whispered.  
  
Marik smiled as Jou's arm wrapped around his waist. They made their way to the elevators silently, but an easy silence. As the doors to the elevator closed, Marik felt Jou's lips on his again.  
  
They broke from each other and walked quietly to Marik's newly semi- furnished apartment only to find Bakura stretched out on a makeshift couch (a few dinning room chairs with blankets and cushions), watching TV, sipping at a beer. Marik sighed, setting down his keys on the kitchen counter. "Nice to see you, Bakura. And why did I give you a spare key?"  
  
"I don't know, since I could have picked the lock anyway." He glanced up and tipped the bottle towards the blond pair. "Nice to see you two together. Is this the fabled 'first-date fucking?'"  
  
"Ba-KUR-a!" Marik whined. "Behave. Please."  
  
"I think you should take your own...command. Want something to drink, Jou? Man, you're a bad host, Ishtar."  
  
Jou laughed lightly. "No, I'm fine. Maybe I should get going, Marik."  
  
Marik looked down. "Yeah, okay."  
  
Jou took Marik by the shoulders and placed a light kiss on Marik's lips. "Call me tomorrow, okay?"  
  
Marik nodded. "Okay...tomorrow..."  
  
Once Jounochi left, Marik sighed and sat down on the floor in front of Bakura.  
  
"Move, you're in the way."  
  
Without moving, Marik asked softly, "Why did you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You--"  
  
"Saved you from becoming a bounce-back fucking? He's newly fair game, come on, Marik, have a little sense."  
  
"What the hell do you mean by that?"  
  
"Look, Jou's a great guy and everything, but you're a bounce-back."  
  
"A bounce-back?" Marik asked dumbly.  
  
Bakura sat up a bit and began playing with Marik's hair. "He's in a slump over Kaiba. He's going to use you to get over him."  
  
"And why is that bad?" Marik asked bitterly, pulling from Bakura's hands.  
  
"Because, stupid." He brought Marik back close to him with a tug of a lock of his hair. "'He's going to use you,' is the exact phrase I believe I said."  
  
"He's just using me?" Marik asked pathetically.  
  
"He's not. Not really. But the entire sex thing? Give it time. In all reality, people like to believe you should have sex until you're 'in love' or whatever."  
  
"How do I know if I'm in love?"  
  
"When you can't live without the person."  
  
"Is that what Jounochi is going through right now?"  
  
"I believe so. Give him some time."  
  
Marik laid his head against Bakura. Bakura began to pet Marik's head. "Bakura?" Marik asked softly.  
  
"Yes Marik?"  
  
"Did you ever think you might be in love with me?"  
  
"No Marik."  
  
Marik sucked in an odd breath and his nails dug into Bakura's leg slightly.  
  
"Did you think--?"  
  
"No," Marik said shortly. He stood up and excused himself to bed.  
  
~~~  
  
Jounochi knocked softly on the door to Yugi's apartment. He didn't want to wake anyone, but he *did* need to get in. Yami slowly opened the door. "Hey Jounochi," he said softly. He held the door open. Jounochi came in and sat at the dinning room table, burying his head in his arms.  
  
"Bad date?" Yami leaned on the doorway.  
  
"No...it was great..."  
  
"Then why do you look so glum?"  
  
"Because Marik is so great and I'm just a big loser."  
  
Yami chuckled softly. "Loser? I think not. You're great, Jounochi. Did he call you that or something."  
  
"No, not at all. He was so nice and everything...he just made me feel like a jerk."  
  
"I'm not following."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it anymore."  
  
"You're not a loser, Jounochi, and you're certainly not a jerk."  
  
"I'm not over Seto."  
  
"No one expects you to be."  
  
"I want to be! I'm done with him!"  
  
"Keep your voice down. Ryou and my aibou are...in an intimate situation as of right now. Why are you in such a hurry to get over him? Isn't it only temporary?"  
  
"I-I don't know...I hope so. I miss him so much... I don't know what I want anymore, Yami. Good night." 


	10. 10

RIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
"Armmmphh..." Jou rolled over in the bed.  
  
RRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!!!  
  
"Mmmm..."  
  
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
"Fine! I'm getting up!" Jou yelled at the phone. He got out of bed, stomped to the phone, and slammed his fists down on the "Talk" button. "Yeah, what?!"  
  
"Katsuya?"  
  
"Seto?" Jounochi stepped back, into against Bakura's chest. "Why are you calling?" He stepped away from Bakura distractedly.  
  
"I need to talk to you, okay? Will you come over?"  
  
Jou looked up at Bakura. "Should I go?" he whispered.  
  
Bakura shook his head. "Kaiba, what do you want?"  
  
"Put Katsuya back on, Yami Bakura. I need to talk to him."  
  
"Yugi's phone only works on speaker-phone. He's right here. Tell us what you want to see him for."  
  
Kaiba sighed. "This is between Katsuya and me."  
  
"Just...just tell me, Seto," Jounochi's wavering voice came.  
  
"I just thought...you should come up and pick a few things up you may need."  
  
"Yeah, fine. I'll be over in a few." He slammed his fist down on the phone, shutting it off.  
  
"Sorry, I would have answered it, but I've been forbidden."  
  
"Since when does that stop you?" Jou asked jokingly.  
  
Bakura grabbed Jou and forced him into a hug. "Okay, come on. I'm going to help."  
  
Jou pulled from Bakura. "Fine, I won't argue, but I'm calling Marik." He pulled the phone and put it on the counter. He began making himself some cereal. "Could you dial his number, please?"  
  
Bakura obliged, climbing onto the counter.  
  
"Moshi-moshi?" Marik's voice came.  
  
"Good morning," Jounochi's cheerful voice came over the phone.  
  
Marik glanced up from where he was washing dishes, eyes widening. "Jounochi? You...you called?"  
  
"Of course I did! But I thought I told you to call me."  
  
Marik went over to his phone. Bakura had re-wired it, too, to prevent him from having secret phone conversations. And in one night, too. "Nice to...hear from you...I have to say I'm a little surprised."  
  
"Why...?"  
  
"Nothing, forget it. So what's up?"  
  
"Well, um, Se--Kaiba called me."  
  
"He did, huh?" Marik ran his finger gently over a scar on his arm. He did that whenever something bothered him.  
  
"He wants me to pick a few things up. I wanted to know if you wanted to do something after that."  
  
"Or if you wanted to come with us!" Bakura shouted.  
  
Marik smiled to himself. "I think I will."  
  
"Then we'll pick you up in a few!" Bakura said gleefully.  
  
"Bye Marik," Jou said, his voice being drowned out by Bakura's laughing.  
  
~~~  
  
Marik opened the door, his face flushed. "Um, kounichi-wa, Jounochi."  
  
Bakura cleared his throat. "And me? What about me? Am I not important anymore?"  
  
"Bakura," Marik said, making a face.  
  
Jounochi smiled. "So, you ready to go?"  
  
"Mmhmm. What are we getting there, anyway?"  
  
"Some clothes, some stuff like that."  
  
"Some expensive alcohol!" Bakura said, excited.  
  
Marik shook his head as locked up his apartment. He joined them, feeling slightly awkward, until Jounochi slipped his arm around his waist. Marik's slim figure still allowed him to wear the short shirts he used to and happened to be wearing a blue one. Jounochi's touch was pleasant on his bare skin. He leaned a bit into Jounochi and Jounochi pulled him closer, smiling.  
  
~~~  
  
Kaiba opened the door himself, but stepped back a bit, shocked to see the two pale haired companions. He cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "Erm...you're...*company* has changed a bit." Jounochi dropped his arm from Marik's waist and pushed himself inside. Bakura and Marik followed silently, Kaiba bringing up the rear. "So...you look well."  
  
"It's only been a few days," Bakura muttered.  
  
"You too," Jounochi murmured solemnly. He led them to what seemed to be the master suit.  
  
Marik raised his eyebrow. The place was bigger than his entire apartment. ~Damn...how am I ever going to compete with this?~  
  
Kaiba spoke evenly, "So you're staying at Yugi-kun's? If he needs any money for the arrangement, have him talk to me--"  
  
"I'll get a job," Jounochi said darkly, pulling out a duffle bag from the closet. He began stuffing the thing roughly, slamming his fists into from time to time.  
  
"Is there anything I can get you, that you want?"  
  
"Yes, there is." He straighten himself and stared Kaiba off.  
  
Kaiba coughed nervously. "What's that?"  
  
"I want you to go to hell and burn for a few days."  
  
"Katsuya--"  
  
"Don't call me that!" Jou screamed in frustration.  
  
"J-Jou...no...ch-ch-chi..." Kaiba stuttered on the uncommon word to him. He looked down. "I'm going to be in my office if you need me." He walked out quickly.  
  
Jounochi began slamming his fists into his bag again, until Bakura unfroze from his spot and wrapped his arms around the front of Jou and began pulling him away from the couch. They landed on the bed in a heap, Jounochi fighting against Bakura. "Let go of me!" he shouted.  
  
Bakura reached back and smacked Jou hard. "Stop acting like a little girl!"  
  
Jou sucked in a shaky breath, placing his hand on his red cheek. "Don't hit me," he whispered.  
  
"Did Kaiba ever hit you?" Bakura asked suddenly.  
  
Jou didn't answer for several tense minutes. "Twice," Jounochi whispered. "He was really mad both times. Once was when...we were first going out."  
  
Marik sat on the edge of the bed and took Jounochi's hand. "What happened?"  
  
"Just...I was flirting with Duke. I was a bit drunk and stuff...and he got so mad at me...he smacked me just like you did."  
  
"Why do you love him?" Marik asked without thinking, then sucked in a shocked breath. "I--I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." Jou grabbed Marik by the shoulders and brought him close, into a hungry kiss.  
  
Bakura shook his head and climbed off the bed as the couple began to make- out. He sat on the couch, watching them with interest. ~Huh? Kaiba's got a *couch* in his *bedroom*?! Marik doesn't even have a real couch in his living room! Oh wow, look at them go at it. This is kind of like a live action porn. Have to remember to rent some more of those...unless Yugi's locked up his movie rental card with the knifes... Fuck, they're really getting into it. He's touching him there and he's undoing his shirt...what are they going to fuck right there? I'm not gonna complain.~  
  
Bakura glanced up, where Kaiba was standing in the doorway, staring. "Kinda hot, eh?"  
  
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "I didn't know they were dating," he said calmly.  
  
"After you dumped the mutt they just hit it off," Bakura said, turning back to watch the show.  
  
~~~  
  
Jounochi lifted up finally, to catch his breath. That's when he noticed they were being watched. "Um, Seto, I--"  
  
Seto shrugged. He had been watching, interested for awhile now, sitting next to Bakura.  
  
Bakura was caught somewhere between getting himself some popcorn or starting to jerk off. "You guys are really hot when you do that."  
  
Marik blushed. "I think I better go anyway. I have to get to the museum about something for my sister anyway," he said softly to Jou. Jou nodded, climbing off of him. Marik hurried past Bakura and Kaiba without a glance.  
  
"Having fun?" Kaiba asked jokingly.  
  
Jounochi growled. "Leave me alone."  
  
"So we can't be friends after this, huh?"  
  
"Seto, if you honestly don't know the answer to that, than you're more stupid than you ever said I was. To spell it out: N-O. We're in a separation. Until you want to stop being a dick and let me move back in, I'm going to be childish and say, 'I'm not speaking to you.'" 


	11. 11

Bakura grunted, carrying the last heavy bag into Marik's apartment. Marik had already obliged to letting them store the two sentimental value bags at his apartment. After Jounochi had agreed that Champagne was sentimental, too.  
  
"You always manage to stand up to him."  
  
"That's the kind of relationship we had," Jounochi said softly. "We were always keeping each other in check."  
  
"So you guys argued a lot," Bakura summed up.  
  
"No. Well, yes, but it was usually playful arguing. It sometimes heated up but one of us always stormed out until we had cooled off."  
  
"Then make-up sex?" Bakura asked excitedly.  
  
"When we were younger. In the last few years, it was sort of up to him. He had--and still does have--a lot of work to do running that company. After Duel Monsters died down, he had to merge into other outlets for his technology."  
  
"Speaking of which, did you ever beat the fucker?" Bakura smiled from where he laid on the kitchen counter, his head hanging off the ledge. His long white hair demonstrated gravity as it fell over the ledge, suspended about the ground.  
  
"No, but after we started getting serious, I never tried. I didn't care by then."  
  
"You just wanted the sex?"  
  
"Yeah, kind of," Jou said, a hint of humor in his voice. He was lying on a futon couch thing that Marik had replaced his old "couch" with.  
  
"Man who argue with lover get no piece at night."  
  
Jou laughed lightly.  
  
"So how'd the folks take it?"  
  
"Mom doesn't know or care. My dad...wasn't too thrilled until Seto made a nice gesture by paying off all of his debts. I don't speak to him very often now."  
  
"And the loser friends you hung out with?"  
  
Jou sighed. "They weren't and aren't losers. Honda couldn't believe I was gay. Kind of flipped out. I don't speak to him anymore."  
  
"And Yugi? What about that twerp?"  
  
"He was...surprised. He never thought I was gay. Then there was the entire fact Seto and I didn't get along before we started dating. He was like, basically, 'Do you think it will last?' I joked that I was in it just for the sex, which made Yugi blush and Kaiba hit me. Everyone's so mean to me."  
  
"And my little twerp?"  
  
"He got over his minor crush on me and made me help him ask Yugi out. They dated off and on until they moved in together after Ryou graduated college-- "  
  
"He had a crush on you?" Bakura as in disbelief, sitting up.  
  
"Apparently."  
  
"That's funny."  
  
"Hey, thanks."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
"What about you? You can't tell me you've always wanted to date Kaiba?"  
  
"No, not especially."  
  
"Then who?"  
  
"Y-Yami..."  
  
"Yami?" Bakura asked, lifting his eyebrow. "That's...that's surprising."  
  
Jou leaned back on the couch. "He was always so dreamy..."  
  
"No, he's just a spirit."  
  
"And so confident."  
  
"Yeah, was."  
  
"And he looked so *hot* in his black leather."  
  
"Now he just looks like a walking bondage fetish."  
  
"And his body..."  
  
"Looks anorexic now."  
  
"I never said I still liked him."  
  
"You just like...a memory," he said softly.  
  
"Kind of. What about you, Bakura?"  
  
"A good porn and I was fine. A nice whore in the past."  
  
"That sounds lonely."  
  
"It is."  
  
"And you don't like any certain person?"  
  
"Not really..."  
  
"What about Marik?"  
  
"We're best friends."  
  
"Not more?"  
  
"No, not anymore."  
  
"But you used to be?"  
  
"We used to fuck."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"And help each other with our needs. Take that to mean as you like."  
  
"Did you guys ever role-play?"  
  
"No," Bakura said dryly.  
  
"What's your sexual fantasy?"  
  
"Raping some random blond," he said just a dryly.  
  
"Blond, huh?"  
  
"Don't look too far into it."  
  
"You like rape?"  
  
"I like feeling in power. I don't want the person against it, but I want them to know who's in charge."  
  
"Mmmm..."  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"What about me?" Jounochi asked confused.  
  
"Your fantasy?"  
  
"It's stupid."  
  
"Probably."  
  
Jou made a face at Bakura. "Hmmm...okay...being surrounded by two men, worshipping my body."  
  
"You're right, it is stupid."  
  
"No it's not. I like being...pampered. Sexually, at least."  
  
"Not domineering?" Bakura asked incredulously.  
  
"Sometimes. But all I really want is two men who want to be with me more than anything in the world and willing to show me that."  
  
"Not very kinky."  
  
"I don't like kinky."  
  
"Where's your favorite place to be kissed?" Bakura asked, changing the subject  
  
"My neck and on my hip."  
  
"Collarbone."  
  
"Hickys: get `em or give `em?"  
  
"Give `em."  
  
"Give `em."  
  
"Do you like your feet?"  
  
Jou laughed. "Not really. But I give good feet massages. I give good massages in general."  
  
"How good?"  
  
"My neck massages made Seto want to fuck. Imagine the rest of the body..."  
  
"That good, huh?"  
  
"Mmmhmm... Would you ever fuck Seto?"  
  
"When he was younger. I still would now, but not as much. Afraid I'd wear him out," Bakura joked, giving Jou a fang-y grin. "Is he good in bed?"  
  
"I've never had anyone else."  
  
"Really? Wow. So what's he like?"  
  
"Down-to-business. We used to sometimes wrestle make-out until he usually pinned me and fucked me."  
  
"Sounds kinky."  
  
"That closest I've ever gotten."  
  
"So just...no feelings in it?"  
  
"Oh, we make love...we used to...just not a lot of foreplay."  
  
"He always on top?"  
  
"Mmhmm..."  
  
"You've never been top?"  
  
"No, Bakura."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Did you want to be?"  
  
"Sometimes. But I really just like being pleasured, not taking pleasure."  
  
"So would you ever fuck me?"  
  
"Never thought about it."  
  
"So think about it."  
  
Jounochi sat quietly, thinking. "I just don't see it working."  
  
"You're a bottom, I'm mostly a top, what's the prob?"  
  
"Um, for one, you're 'mostly' top?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"And it not that simple. There's gotta be desire."  
  
"You don't' desire me?"  
  
"Never came across my mind."  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
"You ever been in a threesome?"  
  
"No, you want to be?"  
  
"Um, yeah," Jou said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Your fantasy, right. The closest you thought of being with someone else besides Kaiba? Or was it him and Yami in the fantasy?"  
  
"Just...sometimes. Sometimes other people."  
  
"Like what kind of people?"  
  
"Just different people."  
  
"What would you think of Marik and me?"  
  
"What, together?"  
  
"With you, too. Your fantasy."  
  
Jounochi laughed. "With you?"  
  
Bakura sat up. "Never mind," he murmured. "I better go, tell Marik I'll be around later."  
  
Jounochi nodded, not noticing Bakura's depressed tone. 


	12. 12

Bakura looked up from loading the dishwasher. "Ryou!" he shouted. "Ryou!" he yelled. He sighed, slamming the dishwasher door and storming off into the living room. "Ryou!"  
  
Ryou pulled away from kissing Yugi. "I, um... Bakura?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" he shrieked.  
  
"Kissing my koi?" he said unsurely.  
  
"Well...stop it!"  
  
"Bakura," Yugi asked softly, "are you okay?"  
  
"Fine, just fine! Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
Yami walked into the room, eyebrow raised. "Bakura? Marik's on the phone."  
  
Yami, Ryou, and Yugi watched him leave. "Ryou?" Yugi asked softly. "What's wrong with Bakura?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he said quietly. "He keeps to himself."  
  
"Can't you read his thoughts?" Yami asked mildly interested.  
  
"Only while he's in the soul room and he spends as little time in there as possible. You know that, Yami."  
  
"Don't you have a mind link?"  
  
"No...Bakura and I aren't as close as you and Yugi," he said softly.  
  
Yugi leaned his head on Ryou's shoulder. "Maybe he's lonely."  
  
"My yami?" Ryou asked incredulously.  
  
"My yami is," Yugi whispered, pulling Ryou into a kiss.  
  
"Who said I was lonely?" Yami asked softly.  
  
"Yami, it's quite obvious," Yugi said gently.  
  
Yami stood up, walking off angrily. "Keep to yourself, Omote!" he shouted.  
  
Bakura stepped into the room, right in Yami's way. He looked at the pharaoh wide eyed. "I--"  
  
"Don't fucking touch me!" Yami tore from him.  
  
Bakura pulled him close. "Just relax, Yami," he whispered. "There's no need to get all mental."  
  
"Let go of me!" Yami shrieked, jabbing an elbow into the Tomb Robber. He tore from the room.  
  
"You're a fucking jerk, Yami!" Bakura yelled after him, holding his stomach. "You've always cared only of yourself and that's it! If the great Pharaoh of Egypt wasn't happy, then no one else could be." Bakura stood up straight. "But, oh, if he *was* happy, no one else was."  
  
Yami walked back, staring at Bakura. "You said I wasn't a cruel leader."  
  
"There's a vast difference between 'un-cruel' and 'compassionate.' And even so, who gave a crap about a little poor peasant or his entire village? Certainly not the pharaoh of Egypt. They weren't needed and if they were, they were replaceable."  
  
"Excuse me?" Yami asked, confused and indignant.  
  
"You sacrificed my entire village so form that Ra-damn pendant around your neck! And I, just a little child, had to fucking watch! So you wonder why I became a Tomb Raider and hold such contempt for your fucking rituals and damnable gods! Why 'proper burial' means shit to me and all I see is gold going to waste! You're terrible, Yami, to even think for a minute you were a compassionate leader. You did what you had to do to make life easier on yourself and your high priest and fucking mages. Because, you know what? Watching your mother and father and family and friends die is a TERRIBLE thing for someone to go through."  
  
After Bakura's long lecture, no one was sure what to do. Yami looked down, ashamed. Yugi looked at Yami wide-eyed, surprised his role modal wasn't perfect. And Ryou looked at his yami sympathetically.  
  
Bakura finally broke the silence. "And you know the *oddest* occurrence after *all* that?"  
  
Yami shook his head.  
  
"After a particular *bad* raid, I was near death and your stupid High Priest and High Mage found me. They brought me back to your palace, healing my various wounds, cleaning me, feeding me, never realizing I was the great tomb robber. Then they presented me to your, a great prize to please their pharaoh. You, liking...exotic things, were taken by my tan skin, white hair, and scarlet eyes. So despite my hate for you and my occupation, you took me in as slave. It wasn't until I tried to kill you that I became something more than an amusing thing to watch, serving you."  
  
"What happened?" Yami asked softly.  
  
"You threw me down and raped me. In front of everyone, or else I would have killed you."  
  
Yami's eyes widened. "I...I raped...you?"  
  
"Yes," he said quietly. "And beat me. And starved me."  
  
"That's terrible," Yami said softly. "I couldn't even begin to apologize-- "  
  
"Save it. I don't want to hear it anymore. Because, for some reason, I am still in love with you sometimes." Bakura laughed coldly. "It's funny," he said to the gaping faces. "I can remember every terrible thing you've ever done to me, but for the love of me, I can't remember what you did to make me fall in love. Three thousand years is a long time to remember these things, I suppose, when I was too busy hating you."  
  
"What happened? You certainly weren't on my high court. So how'd you get into the Ring?"  
  
"The keeper of the Ring died. Your Black Mage, who's now a Duel Monster Card. And when they discovered you were in love with a Tomb Raider, you made up you mind to just cut me out of your life, putting me into the Ring for several thousand years." Bakura walked out slowly, into his room. "But Yami?" he called to them. "No hard feelings."  
  
~~~  
  
Bakura avoided all his roommates by getting up in the middle of the night and leaving. He made his way quietly to Marik's apartment, careful not to attract any attention to himself. It's not that he couldn't defend himself, it's that he wasn't in the mood and the author was tired of every story having a scene where a yami killed some random person for trying to jump them. It wasn't that Bakura wasn't in the mood for blood, there was no denying he loved blood, it was just that he also didn't want to put any effort out.  
  
Getting everything off your chest like that can do that to a person.  
  
Bakura slipped his key into the lock and opened the door. He looked around the empty apartment and sighed. He had kind of wanted to talk with Marik. But to no avail. Bakura never got what he wanted.  
  
He walked over to the fridge and opened it. His eyebrow raised at the mustard, cheap beer, and head of lettuce in the fridge. ~Mmm, yummy,~ he thought sarcastically. He pulled out a beer and soon came to realize that apartment wasn't empty. It was just being used for...recreational purposes.  
  
~Either they're making out loudly, or having sex quietly. Hmmm...~ Bakura, feeling boredly devious, knocked on the bedroom door. "Marik, honey?"  
  
A long pause, then, "Bakura?" he asked uneasily.  
  
"Are you busy in there? Because if you are, I can always come calling another time."  
  
"Go to hell, Bakura," he said rudely.  
  
"Oh dear, are you masturbating again? You know, if you play with yourself too much, you'll go blind."  
  
"Bakura!" Marik yelled. He slammed the door open. His hair was sticking out in weird places, reminding Bakura lightly of his yami and his button-up shirt was unbuttoned, leaving Bakura a nice view of his chest.  
  
"Uh..." he stared.  
  
"I am trying to make out with Jounochi! Is that so hard?"  
  
Bakura shook his head. "Nope. Sorry. Was lonely was all. Please continue."  
  
"Bakura?" Jou's called softly from inside the room. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yup, fine. I'll just be watching TV." He turned from Marik and sat down in front of the TV, watching whatever was on with little interest.  
  
~~~  
  
Marik sighed, shutting the door. "I feel bad."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Marik turned to his boyfriend. "Do you want to continue, or are we done?"  
  
Jounochi got off the western-style bed, still a discomfort for him sometimes, and walked over to Marik. "I think he's lonely."  
  
"He said that."  
  
"I think he still misses the intimacy you guys had," Jou said softly, running his hand over Marik's tanned chest.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"It weird for people to go from fucking to just friends. I don't really know from experience, but I know it'd be hard for me and Seto to ever be friends after everything."  
  
"It's a little different for you guys. You guys had more...feelings for each other."  
  
"You guys are best friends and now he has to share you with me. Mokuba had some resentment in the beginning. It's understandable."  
  
Marik leaned in for a kiss with Jounochi. "You're a very good-hearted person," he finally said, not sure what else to say.  
  
"I just don't want anyone to get hurt. Besides, yesterday he suggested a three-some between us."  
  
"BAKURA!" Marik yelled.  
  
Bakura heaved a large sigh. "What did I do now?" he called out.  
  
"Get the fuck in here!"  
  
Bakura walked slowly to his friend's room, eyes downcast. "Yeah?" he asked quietly.  
  
"What the hell are you up to?"  
  
Bakura sighed, rubbing his head, not sure what Marik was asking. "I just wanted to get away from the other guys, sorry if I disturbed you. I'll leave if you like--"  
  
"You wanted a threesome?!"  
  
"You're taking it out of context, Marik. Yesterday, Jou and I were talking."  
  
"About having a threesome?" Marik asked, his voice starting to get exasperated.  
  
"One of the topics was Jounochi's fantasy and it happened to be two guys worshiping his body, aka, a threesome. All I wanted to know is if he had ever thought I was attractive but the answer was no. Now Marik, I have a headache and I've been through a lot of shit, can we please cut through all the bullshit and you just kick me out?"  
  
"I'm not going to kick you out, Bakura, what the hell is the matter with you?"  
  
Bakura shrugged, talking past them to the closet, pulling out a sheet. "Night guys." He started walking past them back to the couch.  
  
"Bakura!" Marik said exasperated. "What is your problem?!"  
  
"Just...musing about a past life. Don't worry about it." 


	13. 13

Jounochi trailed kisses up Marik's chest. "Marik," kiss, "do you," kiss, "love me?" kiss.  
  
"Yes," he whispered, trailing his fingers through Jou's hair.  
  
Jounochi laid his head on Marik's chest and began tracing small, random patterns on Marik's hip. "I love you, too," he whispered.  
  
Marik tilted Jou's chin up to look him in the eyes. "Do you really mean that?"  
  
"Yes?" Jou said, unsure. "Is that a bad thing?"  
  
Marik shook his head, smiling. Drawing him into a kiss, he laughed, "It's the greatest thing ever."  
  
Jou inched his way up to capture Marik's lips with his. "I love you," he breathed.  
  
"I love you,"Marik moaned, pulling Jounochi's shirt off.  
  
Jounochi began tugging at Marik's shirt, pulling it off. There breaths quickened as their hands trailed over each other's bodies, begging for more.  
  
Marik moaned loudly as Jounochi began sucking at his nipple, gasping as Jou's tongue trailed over his member, screaming as Jou thrust in him.  
  
~~~  
  
Jou blinked his eyes open. Someone had the radio on too loud and was singing off-key.  
  
He rolled over on his side to see if Marik was awake. When he saw no one lying there, he sat up, instantly awake.  
  
//Flashback//  
  
Jou opened his eyes sleepily, then jolted awake when he saw no one next to him in bed. "Kaiba?" he said a bit frantically.  
  
The brunette glanced up from his briefcase. "Hmm?"  
  
"Where ya going?"  
  
"Work."  
  
"Work? It's too early."  
  
"That's why I didn't wake you."  
  
"Don't do that again."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Let me wake up alone."  
  
"Promise."  
  
//End//  
  
It had been early in their relationship, when Jounochi had finally admit to liking Kaiba. Kaiba had discovered several insecurities Jou had, including waking up alone after falling asleep together. Jounochi didn't like to be alone, period, but he felt especially vulnerable after giving Kaiba a piece of him. So, no matter how much Kaiba had wanted his puppy to sleep, he'd always wake him up to say goodbye. If he didn't, he'd end up finding Jounochi staring at him uneasy when he got home.  
  
So, even when Kaiba was sleeping with other people, he still woke his puppy up to say goodbye.  
  
Of course, Marik didn't know this.  
  
Jounochi got up slowly, pulling his clothes on. This having been the first time they slept together, he felt even weirder not finding Marik there. ~What if he regretted it? What if he wants me to leave? Does he want to break up?~ He walked slowly out of the room, to find his ivory-haired friend, dancing around the room with a frilly apron on.  
  
Jounochi stared at him, silent, waiting for him to notice. When the song ended, he turned around, seeing the blonde stare at him. He laughed nervously. "Um...fifty bucks says you never saw that."  
  
Jou shrugged. "Deal." He held out his hand. Bakura reached into his pocket and counted out his money. Jou pocketed the money, and asked softly, "Do you know where Marik is?"  
  
"Museum called him. Said they found some kind of arty facts."  
  
"Artifacts?" Jou corrected him.  
  
"Yeah, he left in a hurry. Barley had time to put on his pants and tell me not to kill anyone why he was gone." Bakura gave him a fang-y smile.  
  
"And the apron?" Jou asked, eyebrows raised. He felt a lot more relieved about waking up alone.  
  
"I didn't want to get anything on me," he said like it made perfect sense.  
  
That's when Jounochi noticed the smell of cooked food. He followed his nose into the kitchen. "What did you make?" he asked, still sniffing the air like a curious puppy.  
  
"Panda cakes."  
  
Jou winced at that, then noticed the open box. "You mean pancakes."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. I like my way better. You want some?"  
  
"Sure!" Jou sat down at the table. Bakura loaded his plate with pancakes and dumped syrup on it.  
  
By the time they had finished all the pancakes, Jounochi had forgotten about the way he had felt this morning.  
  
~~~  
  
Marik came bounding into the room happily. "Bakura! You'll never guess what they found!"  
  
Bakura raised his eyebrow from the newspaper. "You're right. And I don't care."  
  
"Of course you do." He thrust a Polaroid in front of Bakura. "Look familiar?"  
  
Bakura grabbed my picture. "That's my knife! Well...it used to be... How'd you--?"  
  
"Right there," he pointed at the faint marking on it. "King Thief Bakura- sama."  
  
Bakura laughed. "So where is it and when can I get it?"  
  
"Well, uh, at the museum, on display and never."  
  
"What?! It's my knife!"  
  
"Hard to explain that a 3,000 year old spirit wants his knife back."  
  
Bakura crossed his arms. "Assholes."  
  
"So...where's Jounochi?"  
  
"He went home... You know, Marik... I don't want you to think I'd get between you guys. I want you happy."  
  
Marik smiled, sitting down next to him. "Arigoto, that means a lot, Bakura."  
  
"So...sex...did you like it in love?"  
  
Marik smiled. "What makes you think I'd tell you?"  
  
"I'm the only reason you guys hooked up. He wouldn't have come anywhere near you if I hadn't carried him over."  
  
"It was...different. From being with you. Not bad, not better. Just...different."  
  
"Well...okay...not much you can say to respond to that."  
  
Marik shook his head. "So I'm in love. What's next?"  
  
"The rest of your guys' life. Moving in together, shit like that. I don't know." Bakura picked the paper back up, reading it.  
  
"Good murder article?" Marik asked, standing up and walking to the kitchen.  
  
"No...article about the relief the guy feels over not seeing Jou and Kaiba together all the time. It's called 'Relief From In-Your-Face Couple.' Talk about bullshit. They only care because he's gay. If he had some girl in everyone's face, no one would."  
  
"You sound like you want them together, Baku," Marik murmured.  
  
Bakura sighed. "You and Jounochi are both my friends. I want him happy, too. I just hope his happiness and yours clash." 


	14. 14

Jounochi and Marik walked, their arms around each other's waists, Marik leaning his head on Jounochi's shoulder. When they reached Yugi's apartment, they turned to each other simultaneously, smiling at each other. "So..." Marik said, brushing a few of Jounochi's bangs back. "Tomorrow, then?"  
  
"I'll call you, okay?" He cupped Marik's face in his and placed a kiss on his lips. "You sure you don't want to come in? Not even for a minute?"  
  
"No, I'll be fine..."  
  
Jounochi leaned in Marik, kissing him again. "You sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm--"  
  
Jou kissed him again. "Sure?"  
  
"*Yes,*" he giggled.  
  
Jounochi began kissing at Marik's neck, pushing him against the door frame. Marik moaned softly, still giggling. "I know you can't resist my charm," Jounochi joked lightly, tracing random patterns along the un-scared small of his koi's back. He ran his tongue over Marik's neck, placing kisses on it.  
  
The door opened up slightly and the Yugi peeked out. "Um, Jounochi..."  
  
The door slammed open, startling Marik. "Mmmphh..." He looked up and tensed. "Kaiba..." he whispered, moving away from Jou.  
  
Jounochi gasped, backing up. "Kaiba, what are you doing here?"  
  
Kaiba crossed his arms. "Oh, so we're back to last names again, Jounochi?" His eyes diverted from burning into Jou's to regarding Marik with extreme disgust. "Ishtar," he said his name like a disese.  
  
Marik looked down. "I'm going to go, Jounochi."  
  
"Oh, don't let me break up the festivities. What kind of person would I be then?" Kaiba mocked.  
  
Jounochi shot Kaiba a dirty look, which surprised him, but he only smirked. Jou took Marik in his arms and placed a kiss on the top of his head. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"  
  
"Hai," Marik said softly. He broke from Jounochi, avoiding Kaiba's glare, walking away quickly.  
  
"Keeping yourself busy without me?"  
  
"What are you doing here, Seto?"  
  
Kaiba smiled, walking closer to Jounochi. Jou stood his ground, refusing to submit or show weakness. Kaiba laughed lightly. "How's my puppy been doing without me?" he asked sweetly, running his fingers over Jou's cheekbone.  
  
Jounochi's eyes narrowed. "I'm not your 'puppy' anymore."  
  
"Why not? It's just a separation."  
  
"If you still loved or wanted me, I'd be with you, right? Or is it really just because you're embarrassed, you belligerent aloof bastard?"  
  
"Aww, big words for such a wittle puppy..." Kaiba smiled wider, seeing Jou begin to shake with anger. "Come with me, I have a few things we need to discuss."  
  
"Discuss them right here, then."  
  
"They're private, Katsuya. Honestly, don't make me beg."  
  
"You haven't even asked, only ordered."  
  
"Will you come with me?" Kaiba asked tightly.  
  
"Fine," Jounochi answered, just as tightly.  
  
~~~  
  
Kaiba held the door open for Jounochi. "Come on, this way."  
  
"What's this; publicity?"  
  
"Just come on," Kaiba sighed.  
  
"What do you wanna talk about?"  
  
"You. Me. That dirty Egyptian that's fucking my puppy."  
  
"He's not dirty and what I do in bed is no longer your concern."  
  
Kaiba grabbed him by the wrist roughly, pulling him close, having stopped mid-step. "You are mine and always will be, Katsuya."  
  
Jounochi pulled his arm away from Kaiba. "Don't touch me," he said coldly.  
  
Kaiba stepped back, shocked to hear such a mean tone from his...his koi. "Kat-Katsuya..." he said, barely audible.  
  
"Don't do that. Don't act hurt."  
  
"..." Kaiba turned from him, acting as if he was cradling a broken heart.  
  
"Seto..." Jounochi said, sighing. "Don't be like that."  
  
Kaiba refused to look at him. He really was hurt.  
  
Jounochi sighed, then placed a hesitant hand on Kaiba's shoulder. "Seto, what did I do wrong?" he begged softly.  
  
"It wasn't you. You were mine."  
  
Jounochi sighed. "Seto..."  
  
"I still love you, is that wrong?"  
  
"Then why aren't we together?"  
  
Kaiba closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Because that's how it's suppose to be." He began walking again.  
  
Jounochi stared at him, confused, then ran after him. "What do you mean, 'that's how it's suppose to be'? How can you say that?"  
  
"You don't get it."  
  
"When will I?"  
  
"When you grow up."  
  
"I've grown up plenty. So just tell me."  
  
"Do you love Ishtar?" he changed the subject suddenly.  
  
"What? Yeah... Why?"  
  
"And me? What do you feel for me?"  
  
"I will always love you, Seto. I promised you that when I agreed to be your husband."  
  
"So you could hurry and get into the food."  
  
"So I could hurry and throw my life away," Jounochi corrected. "And replace it with you. I gave you everything and it still wasn't enough."  
  
"No. I couldn't let it be enough, could I?" Kaiba mused. "I had everything I ever wanted and yet...I let myself just throw it away. And what for?"  
  
"I don't know," Jounochi said coldly. "You tell me."  
  
Kaiba grabbed Jounochi suddenly and pressed his lips against him.  
  
Jounochi pushed him away. "What the fuck are you doing?!"  
  
"I..." Kaiba looked away, sick feeling. He couldn't kiss his puppy whenever he felt like it anymore. He missed his touch. His stupid questions and his curiosity that made doing work in front of him nearly impossible. He missed his koi, the love of his life. His missed the way the blond could make any moment seem funnier. He missed the way the mutt was always right in his own way, and if he wasn't, he knew it, but would still defend his stance to the bitter end, until Kaiba either gave in or began smothering him with kisses. He missed the way they talked on their lazy Saturdays or how Jounochi livened up the stuffy cocktail parties with his long, dirty jokes and excuses to embarrass Kaiba. He missed the way the blond withering at his touch in bed. And he had thrown it all away. So he could blend in better in the corporate world. And now that...that other blond had realized Jounochi--*his* puppy's--endless charm and complete wonderful-ness... They were only separated, but Kaiba might as well as sent the lawyers in the divide up the estate between him. He had lost out. No, given up. On his own life.  
  
Kaiba nearly crumbled, realizing all this. He looked up at Jounochi with a hurt gaze, then quickly looked down again. "Do you...?" A smile, small and sad, formed on his face. "Do you remember our first night you stayed at my house?" he asked out of the blue.  
  
Jounochi nodded slowly. "Yes..."  
  
They had been on their third date, something Jounochi hadn't been so sure about still. It had been Kaiba who has made the first move and it was Kaiba who was keeping it going, not letting Jounochi cancel any of the dates he set up. He always picked him up personally, dragging him into the car, arguing the entire time.  
  
Jounochi never seemed to mind making out with the brunette, but it could have been that he was a horny teenager, who still asserted his "straightness." After a personal night of eating pizza and watching a bad comedy, they laid on the couch, Jou on top of Kaiba, holding each other close in their grasp, working their tongues together. Jou had suddenly broken from Kaiba and looked at him defiantly. "You know, I'm a better kisser than you."  
  
Kaiba raised his eyebrow in disbelief. "You just want to argue, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"That's all we ever do, you know."  
  
"No, we make out, too," he defended himself.  
  
"But, apparently, you're better at it."  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
"Doesn't matter, Jou, because I have a bigger dick than yours."  
  
"Not true!" Jou exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, very true." He pressed himself against Jou, as if to emphasize his point.  
  
"Doesn't mean you're bigger!" he said.  
  
"Hmmm...you're right..." Kaiba smiled wide, slipping his hands down Jou's chest.  
  
"Yes, I *am* right," he said triumphantly. "You better-- WHAT are you DOING?!" he exclaimed as Kaiba began tugging as his pants.  
  
"Having a look for myself," he explained simply. He began to shimmy Jounochi's pants off.  
  
"Let go of me!" Jou yelled irritated.  
  
"I've give you a blow job if you're right," Kaiba said evenly.  
  
Jounochi's breath hitched in his throat. "Blow job?" he repeated in a high voice.  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
Jounochi jumped up and began ripping his pants off. An erection already made his green plaid boxers tent out. "Come on, come on, come on!"  
  
"Suddenly willing to let me in your pants?" Kaiba asked amused.  
  
"Get on with it!"  
  
"Never had a blow job before?" Kaiba observed keenly. He smiled at Jou's blush. "I can see why, with such a small dick."  
  
"Hey! Even if I *did* have a small dick--which I don't--you'd be the one with the boyfriend with a small dick!"  
  
"So you're my boyfriend now, huh? I thought you were just 'an enemy that deserves payback with such fine restaurant meals,'" Kaiba repeated one of Jounochi's many defenses.  
  
Jou blushed. "So maybe I'm your boyfriend now."  
  
"And what's the difference? You want a blow job?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"I've...I've...grown...fond...of you..."  
  
"'Fond'?" Kaiba grinned amused.  
  
"Yeah, you got a problem with my choice of words?" Jou said defensively, crossing his arms.  
  
"You're not very intimidating, standing there in only your boxers, your erection poking out at me."  
  
Jounochi sighed and stamped his foot. "Are we going to see if I deserve a blow job or not?"  
  
Kaiba stood up and walked over to Jounochi, staring him in the eyes, smile on his face. He took Jou in his hand and gave it a squeeze. He shuddered momentarily, but went back to staring Kaiba off. Kaiba smiled wider, beginning to stroke at him. Jou finally began shaking. He fell against Kaiba, whimpers escaping his lips. "Oh god, Kaiba..."  
  
"Come up to me room?" he asked lazily.  
  
Jou nodded his head jerkily.  
  
Kaiba chuckled, picking Jou up and swinging him over his shoulder. He led him to his room and tossed him on his bed. He kicked off random articles of his own clothing, till he was down to his pants. He towered over Jounochi, pressing his knee against his crouch. Jou moaned, digging his nails into the comforter. "Oh yes..." he moaned.  
  
Kaiba smiled and lifted his knee up. He straddled Jounochi, taking his length in his hands and beginning to stroke it at a controlled pace.  
  
Beads of sweat formed on the blond body and his breaths began ragged. "Oh Kaiba...I want you so bad..." he moaned.  
  
Kaiba blinked, started. He slide down and whispered in Jou's ear, "Do you mean that?"  
  
"Mmmm..." was his only answer.  
  
Kaiba began running his tongue over Jou's overly sensitive neck, causing a double shudder effect. Stroke. Shudder. Lick. Shudder.  
  
After a few short minutes, Jou released himself, spilling his warm seed all over Kaiba's chest. Kaiba found himself to be breathing just as hard as the thin blond. He laid down on top of Jou, realize he had climaxed in his own pants, ruining a perfectly good pair.  
  
They stuck together as Jou began to come down from his high. "K-Kaiba...?"  
  
"Go to sleep," Kaiba mumbled.  
  
Awhile later, Jou rolled over on his side. He looked up. Kaiba was illuminated by his lap top's screen. He was sitting on the bed, knees drawn up, supporting his lap top, typing away. "Kaiba?" Jounochi whispered.  
  
Kaiba jumped. After finally catching his breath, he set the lap top on his night stand. He stretched, yawning. "How are you Puppy?"  
  
"I'm fine. What time is it?" Jounochi stretched, yawning.  
  
"Around two a.m. Go back to sleep."  
  
"Why aren't you sleeping?" he peered up at the tired looking brunette.  
  
"I'm getting a little behind in work, that's all." He roughly petted Jounochi's head. "Don't worry about it. If the computer is too bright you can go to the other room."  
  
Jounochi crawled up into Kaiba's lap, throwing his arms around Kaiba's neck. "You should sleep," he mumbled into Kaiba's neck.  
  
Kaiba widened his eyes, slightly surprised. "I have work to do, Jou. This...this... Jou, you have school in the morning."  
  
"So do you, Kaiba. Come on, you need to sleep."  
  
"Jounochi, I have--"  
  
Jou pressed his lips against Kaiba's. "Stop. I'm not going to bed until you do."  
  
Kaiba brushed Joey's hair out of his face. He stared into the most beautiful eyes in the world. "I have work."  
  
"Then I'm staying up with you." Thus, cementing their relationship.  
  
"You know, Katsuya," Kaiba said, breaking into Jou's thoughts, "I've got the bigger dick."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm the better kisser," Jou shot back. "Besides, that wasn't even a blow job!"  
  
Kaiba smiled sadly. "Even if...even if I wanted you back...you wouldn't come back, would you?"  
  
"It-- It would depend," Jou said finally. "Actually, I have no idea what I'd do."  
  
"If I said it right now?"  
  
"I don't know, Seto. You'd have to say it."  
  
Kaiba nodded and turned away. "I better be going then."  
  
A breath caught in Jou's throat. He really hadn't expected Kaiba to say it, but it felt weird when he hadn't. "You get lonely up in that big ol` mansion of yours?"  
  
Kaiba shrugged lamely. "It's not so bad."  
  
"Oh yeah, you have plenty of company."  
  
"I stopped the minute I kicked you out."  
  
"A little late, isn't it."  
  
"I didn't stop for you. I stopped because I didn't like it."  
  
"Then why did you do it in the first place?"  
  
"To be straight," Kaiba answered, then recoiled. He had finally said it. "As long as I was with you, I was gay," he found himself saying, though he wanted to stop, needed to stop. "Now that I'm not with you, I'm straight again."  
  
"So you achieved your goal. Funny, I always thought I was the one with the problem with my appearance to society."  
  
"You weren't the one always on the front page news!" Kaiba burst out.  
  
"Yes I was! I was right there, next to my *husband,*" he said low, threateningly.  
  
"I wasn't just your husband, Katsuya! I was also the CEO of Kaiba Corp.!"  
  
"The business always came before me."  
  
Kaiba stopped, feeling as if Jou had stabbed him in the heart. "I didn't..."  
  
Jou looked back at Kaiba, tears threatening to spill over. "Just leave me alone right now, Seto."  
  
Kaiba stepped back. He was scared. There was Jounochi, starting to walk out of his life again. He grabbed Jou by the arm roughly and forced him into a kiss.  
  
"Fuck you!" Jou screamed, trying to move away from him.  
  
"Come on Katsuya, I--"  
  
"Don't touch me!" he screamed, pushing him away.  
  
Kaiba ignored the spectacle they were making, leaning in for another kiss. He was beyond caring right now. He was beyond reason.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Jounochi screamed at the top of his lungs.  
  
Kaiba grabbed him by the shoulders and pressed his opened mouth against his ex-koi's.  
  
"Stop it!" Jounochi screamed.  
  
People looked the other way. After all, it was Kaiba Seto.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Jou screams turning to sobs as Kaiba's advancing became even more aggressive.  
  
"You're my puppy, Katsuya, don't--"  
  
"Leave me alone!" Jou screamed, knocking him away.  
  
Kaiba pushed him against the wall of a building and stuck his tongue in Jounochi's mouth. A sob erupted from Jou's throat, but he closed his eyes as his husband ran his tongue over his. "Mmmm..." he moaned, finally meeting Kaiba's desire with his own... 


	15. 15

Jou laid on the futon in his room, sticky with his and Kaiba's random body fluids, wrapped up in his sheet. Kaiba sat up next to him, covered barely by a blanket. He looked down, refusing to meet Jou's glance.  
  
The silence weighed heavily on both their ears, being the sequel to their loud moans of desire and screams of passion. ~And Yugi-tachi is home~ Jou randomly thought.  
  
Kaiba sighed, breaking the delicate silence and began gathering his clothing strewn around him. "I better be going."  
  
A mix of a lonely sob and a cry of protest caught in Jounochi's throat. Kaiba looked back at him, meeting his glance. Jou felt his heart breaking. There has been hope last time Kaiba left. Or he was forced to leave, actually. But the look in Kaiba's eyes deceived his wants and needs, leaving him alone again. Kaiba wasn't even half-way clothed when Jounochi's sobs finally erupted. He grabbed a pillow to try to drowned out the sound, but it did little except give him something to find slight comfort from.  
  
Kaiba silently dressed, not looking at Jounochi. He pulled on his suit coat, walking back to him. He got down on one knee and leaned in. He lifted the pillow away and took his koi's face in his hands, bringing him into a kiss. Jou's body shook from the sobs as Kaiba's tongue went over his. Kaiba pulled away and petted his puppy's head, unable to think of anything to say. He stood up and walked to the door without another word.  
  
As Jou's sobs shook his body, Kaiba walked out of the room, Yugi, Ryou, Yami, and Bakura all watching him. He kept his head high, unable to look at them out of shame for what he had done to Jounochi. He opened the front door slowly, fearing walking away from his love when he was so hurt. He came face to face with the other blond. He sucked in a shocked breath.  
  
Marik looked at him strangely. "I--"  
  
Kaiba pushed past him, running away from what he had done.  
  
Marik looked at the four strangely. "Is Jounochi here?"  
  
"Sit down, Marik," Bakura said softly.  
  
Marik looked from him to the other three strangely. "I came here to pick Jounochi up, we're going--" He stopped when Bakura's arms folded around him. "Wha-what are you doing?" His ears picked up Jou's crying. He tried to break from Bakura, but he held him tight. "Na-nani? What are you doing?"  
  
"Don't go, Marik, just don't."  
  
"He's crying, what the hell happened?" Marik turned around when he felt Yami's arms go around him. "What are you *doing*? Let me go."  
  
"Something happened, Ishtar-san," Yami spoke woefully.  
  
Marik looked back at him, then at Bakura. "What are you talking about?" He suddenly remembered the suited CEO rushing out. "What did Kaiba do to him?"  
  
Bakura's grasp tightened around him. "Please calm down," he whispered roughly.  
  
"Let go of me!" Marik shouted. "I have to go see him!" he nearly screamed, fighting against the two spirits. He stopped suddenly. He slide to the ground, hunched over, sobbing. "No...no, no, no..." He began cursing in random languages, sobbing.  
  
~~~  
  
Jou nearly screamed in frustration. Over the last two days, the headlines have gone from:  
  
Jounochi And Kaiba Back Together?! Corporate Gay Couple To Merge Again?  
  
to:  
  
Egyptian Holds the Key To Jounochi Katsuya's Heart? Jounochi Unavailable: For Date Or Comment  
  
What was worse, Jounochi decided, was that Marik was way too supportive of the entire situation. He smiled for the cameras, answered their questions, and still let Jou fuck him at night.  
  
"Aren't you suppose to be hurt?" Jou muttered over his tea.  
  
"Am I?" Marik asked quietly, picking at his rice with his chop sticks.  
  
"It just seems you're putting on too good a face, even in the bedroom," he muttered.  
  
"'Egyptian: Great Face, Even In Bed!'" Bakura said gleefully.  
  
"Just wait until they start digging into my background," Marik muttered.  
  
"I'm sure they'll find a connection of you trying to sabotage the Battle City to sabotaging their relationship," Ryou said softly. "Not that it was you in either case," he added quickly.  
  
"And just why are these two here?" Jounochi muttered. He wasn't in such a great mood.  
  
"Because I invited myself along," Bakura explained. "And Ryou?"  
  
"I invited him," Marik said softly. He threw down his chop sticks and got up to go to the bathroom.  
  
"'Egyptian Storms Out From Double Date! Details at Eleven!'" Bakura joked.  
  
"Shut up!" Marik yelled. "Is that all I am?" He turned back to face him. "The Egyptian dating Kaiba's ex-boyfriend?!"  
  
"Oh fuck..." Bakura whispered.  
  
"Husband," Ryou said softly.  
  
"Shut. The. *FUCK*. UP!" Marik screamed.  
  
Jou threw down a few bills and got up and left without another word.  
  
"You think this is all about you, Marik?" Bakura asked softly. "Contrary to what you might think, I believe this is hurting him a lot more. He's being hurt and used by the person he pledged his undying love to. Meanwhile, his boyfriend is being awfully fake to him and the rest of the world. If it bothers you so damn much, maybe you should just tell him. If you don't stop bottling up your emotions, *he* will come back, and you remember what happened last time. This time, your heart's involved. If *he* killed your father, *he* will kill Jounochi and the rest of us. And I know you don't want that to happed, right?"  
  
"You should talk to him," Ryou said softly.  
  
Marik nodded solemnly and made his way to the door.  
  
Bakura shook his head. "People in this time sure like making spectacles of themselves in public."  
  
"Bakura?" Ryou said softly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think it's really nice that you want their relationship to work out."  
  
Bakura put his arm around Ryou. "Arigoto, Ryou."  
  
Ryou wrapped his arms around Bakura. "I know you used to hate me. And still sort of do. But thank you for everything. You're the only person I had most of my life," Ryou spoke softly, yet fast. "You were the only family I had when we moved here. Thank you."  
  
Bakura petted Ryou's hair softly, slightly awkwardly. "Thank you for easing some of my hate, aibou," he said gruffly.  
  
~~~  
  
Jou sighed, kicking at the carpet. He looked up. Marik stood there.  
  
"Please don't be so angry," he whispered.  
  
Jou held his arms out, taking Marik into his embrace. He gently petted Marik's head. "I know this is hard for you, too."  
  
"I'm sorry, Jounochi. I wish I could just--"  
  
"Please, it's not your fault. I'm so sorry you're in the middle of all this." He began to rock back and forth gently, whispering into Marik's hair. "I love you. Please wait as I get through this time. Then it's just you and me."  
  
"What happens when Kaiba wants you back, huh? Then what? You'll just leave me?"  
  
"No, Marik, don't--"  
  
Marik leaned back, looking Jou in the eyes. "Do you really expect me to believe that you'll leave Kaiba for me? Who are you going to chose when the time come?"  
  
Jou shook his head. "Marik, I don't know what I'll do."  
  
"Then let me make the choice easy for you. I think we need to break up."  
  
Jou sucked in his breath, shocked. "No," he whispered. "You don't mean that."  
  
"I-I do. I just think it'd be better this way--"  
  
"No!" Jounochi screamed. "No! Oh god, no!" Jou began to sob.  
  
Marik brought Jounochi in his arms. "Please don't cry, I don't want to hurt you--"  
  
"How can you do this to me?!"  
  
Marik patted Jounochi's back, holding him close. "I'm not trying to hurt you, don't you understand?"  
  
"Marik, I love you! How can you do this?" Jounochi sobbed.  
  
"I think it will be easier on us both in the long run, okay? So when Kaiba takes you back, there won't be anything holding you back."  
  
Jou looked at Marik lamely, his tears forgotten. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. Can...can we still be friends?"  
  
"Of course," Marik whispered, pulled Jou's hair of his face. "Still friends, okay?"  
  
Jou nodded lamely. "I'm going to go, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
Jounochi stood up and made his way to the door slowly. 


	16. 16

Jounochi open the door gently. Everyone watched him come in. "You okay?" Yugi asked softly.  
  
Jounochi looked up at him. "Yeah, fine, Yug. I'm going to go lie down, so if...anyone..." he trailed off, making his way to his bedroom.  
  
An hour or so later, a soft knocking on his door woke Jou up. "Hmmerph? he mumbled.  
  
"Jounochi?" Bakura peeked into his room. "There's someone out here to see you. They insist upon it."  
  
Jou nodded. As he entered the living room, the breath in his throat caught and he gasped. "Oh god..."  
  
"I'm Seto Kaiba's lawyer," the black haired young man was explaining to Yugi. He turned to look up at Jou. "Katsuya, please sit down."  
  
Jou shook his head in disbelief, tears in his eyes. "Why?"  
  
"Seto has sent me over with a set of papers..." He sat down on the couch, motioning for Jounochi to join him. Jou sat on the couch, his tears increasing. The lawyer folded Jounochi in his arms. "It's okay," he whispered.  
  
Jou began sobbing in the man's long black hair. "Oh god, Mokuba...why?"  
  
"Seto's an idiot," he whispered. "He doesn't deserve you."  
  
"Well, he got rid of me," Jou said bitterly, pulling from Mokuba. "So what's he giving me?"  
  
"Over a million dollars after taxes. You'll be able to live the rest of your life off of it. It's in a nice, high interest bank. There's no way to loose it except on your account."  
  
Jou stared at the document laid on the coffee table. "How is he?" he whispered.  
  
"A wreck," Mokuba whispered back.  
  
"Then why is he doing this?" He ran his fist over his eyes, wiping up some of the tears.  
  
"He wants you to be happy. And he...he's embarrassed."  
  
"Of me?"  
  
"No, of being gay."  
  
Jounochi nodded. Bakura had been right all along. "Okay, where do I sign?" he asked with a new sense of calmness. His heart was already too shattered after everything to feel anymore pain.  
  
Mokuba turned the pages of the document and handed Jounochi a pen. "Right here."  
  
Jou scrawled his name on the line, then stood up. Mokuba joined him. "You take care of yourself," Jou whispered, taking Mokuba in his arms. "And take care of him for me."  
  
"Of course. Take care of yourself, Katsuya."  
  
"Tell him...tell him I understand. Tell him it's okay. Tell him I'll love him still. And that I hope he finds happiness somewhere."  
  
Mokuba nodded. "I better be going. If you ever need to talk, don't hesitate to call me."  
  
Jounochi nodded and pulled away from him. "I need to lie down. Syanora, Mokuba-chan."  
  
~~~  
  
"It could be worse, Jounochi," Yugi gently.  
  
"How?" Jounochi said miserably, hugging his pillow to his chest.  
  
"At least you still have Marik," Ryou said softly.  
  
Jou scoffed at that. "No. Today's the day in which everyone makes Jounochi miserable. He left me, too. Now will everyone please get out before I start screaming?"  
  
Bakura, Yugi, and Ryou looked at each other wide-eyed.  
  
~~~  
  
Bakura rushed through the street. "Get in the house!" he called to Marik, who was standing on the stoop of the apartment building. "I need to talk to you!"  
  
Marik raised his eyebrow at Bakura. "I have to get to work, Bakura."  
  
"Why did you do that? i made him promise he wouldn't hurt you! I never thought you would hurt him!"  
  
"He did hurt me, Bakura. I didn't mean to hurt him. But at least now I'm not holding him back."  
  
"Back from what?" Bakura pushed Marik against the door. "Kaiba left him! Permanently. Look what you've done!"  
  
"What I'VE done?! Bakura! It's not my fault Kaiba's such a little shit! Why do you even fucking care?"  
  
"Because Jounochi doesn't deserve this! He deserves to be happy!"  
  
"Don't we all?! Come on, Bakura, I know you care, but forcing me to like him more than I do isn't going to make him happy. I thought I liked him more than I did. I still wish him well and want to be his friend! That's what he needs right now! Not a boyfriend, a friend. I can be that! And so can you! But is that what you want?"  
  
"What?" Bakura asked startled.  
  
"You obviously care for him, Bakura. You wouldn't be acting this way if you didn't."  
  
"Jounochi is just a friend! That's all!"  
  
"Then go over there and *be* a friend. You want to fix his problems? Then go talk to him, okay?"  
  
Bakura looked away. "What do I say?"  
  
"You comfort him, Bakura. You can't fix his life but you can be there for him."  
  
Bakura weakly sat down on the step. "I just can't help seeing...me..."  
  
Marik sat down next to him, wrapping his arm around his friend's slack shoulders. "You're like a parent trying to live their life through their kid's. You can't do that to Jounochi."  
  
"I just want him to be happy."  
  
"Things happen. It's shitty that they do, but they do. If Jounochi hadn't slept with Kaiba, I might feel different. But the fact is, he did. And I'm hurt. I don't hold it against him. But it still hurts. But I certainly don't hate him and never will. But I think that you...should talk to him, Bakura. Tell him you know how he feels. Just...I don't care, talk about the weather! He just needs someone to talk to."  
  
Bakura nodded. "I'll see you later, okay?" He started walking away.  
  
~~~  
  
Bakura entered the apartment, rubbing his forehead. "I'm home," he said quietly, walking past the snuggling omote couple on the couch. He walked into the kitchen and began wondering around it, searching for something to eat.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
Bakura looked up, startled, into Yami's crimson eyes. "Yeah, fine," he said softly, looking back into the refrigerator.  
  
"So they both left him in the same day," he commented softly.  
  
"I guess," Bakura mumbled.  
  
"What was I like really that big of a jerk?"  
  
Bakura didn't mind the change of subject. "Yami," he spoke softly, "no one's perfect." He heaved a large sigh. "And what you did wasn't that bad by the time period's standers." He leaned into Yami, almost kissing him. "I've already forgiven you once, I remember."  
  
Yami closed his eyes. "What about the Ring?" he whispered.  
  
"Not such a bad thing anymore," he whispered even softer. He placed a gentle kiss on Yami's lips. "Maybe it will pay off someday."  
  
"Maybe..." Yami whispered even softer.  
  
~~~  
  
Bakura helped Jou move into his new apartment. "How you holding up?" he asked softly.  
  
Jou shrugged. "Fine." He sat down on his new couch. "I figure it could always be worse," he said softly.  
  
Bakura sat down on the couch hard, next to Jounochi. He put his arm around the blonde's shoulders. "Well, maybe I...can move in. Be your roommate."  
  
"Really?" Jounochi asked hopefully.  
  
"The omotes really deserve some alone time. And things are kind of awkward between Yami and me after the kiss." Bakura had ended up spilling everything about Yami to Jounochi. In detail. Well, fuzzy detail, he was getting old, after all.  
  
Jounochi smiled at Bakura. "That would be really nice."  
  
Bakura placed a small kiss on Jou's cheek. "Then we'll be moving me in next," he said softly. "I'm taking you out for drinks," he said, standing up. He pulled Jounochi up. "Come on."  
  
"Isn't drinks the thing that started this weird friendship between us? Jou asked amused.  
  
"Yup, but you better shut up, because I'm paying. This is probably the last time, too, blond-y, so enjoy it."  
  
Jou smiled weakly, following Bakura out of his apartment. 


End file.
